


Twelve Songs of Christmas

by FaithAndATypeWriter



Series: The Red Letter Days Collection [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Music, Elves with attitude, F/M, Frosted Window Panes, I couldn't resist, Lila Gets Coal, Lila salt, nativity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:35:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 23,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21795421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaithAndATypeWriter/pseuds/FaithAndATypeWriter
Summary: Slice up the fruitcake; it's time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough!  For we need a little music, need a little laughter, need a little singing ringing through the rafter, and we need a little snappy "happy ever after," need a little Christmas now!Hang on to your elf ears!  An akuma has struck and now visions of sugarplums are dancing in the Parisian streets!And this elf has ATTITUDE.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: The Red Letter Days Collection [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2073615
Comments: 63
Kudos: 227





	1. We Need a Little Christmas

It was a bright, crisp morning. The sun was bright, the air cold, and fluffy clouds even promised a bit of rare Parisian Christmas snow. With only a few days left until Christmas, a sense of anticipation filled the air even as people trudged off to work and children walked to school.

That’s how Lucia Berger felt about it, at least. It was the last day of school before break and she was excited! Christmas was her favorite holiday and she had been wearing Christmas sweaters or Christmas themed outfits everyday since November. Lucia took the lead in her class and organized class caroling, volunteering at a toy drive, and today she planned on bringing in cookies that she’d bought from the famous Dupain-Cheng bakery! 

And this was just the start! As she got ready for the day, Lucia’s thoughts were filled with ideas about sleeping in during break, going ice skating, drinking cocoa! She was almost finished making presents for her family, and she couldn’t wait to travel out of the city to her aunt’s house for Christmas Eve! They almost always had snow covering the ground in the small country town and the church where her uncle was a pastor had the most beautiful, peaceful candlelit service!

Lucia adjusted her candy cane striped sweater and checked that all the jingle bells on her kneehigh elf socks were all still securely attached. She was warm and cozy with her evergreen leggings and knit skater skirt along with her sweater. Finally, she carefully put on her favorite pair of jingle bell earrings. Satisfied that she hadn’t forgotten anything, Lucia packed her backpack and headed to the kitchen.

“Haul out the holly! Put up the tree before my spirit falls again! Fill up the stocking! I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now!” Lucia sang as she skipped into the kitchen.

“Morning, Luci!” Marguerite, Lucia’s mother, greated.

“Morning, Mama!” Lucia bubbled.

Lucia pulled out her box of Dupain-Cheng cookies from the refrigerator as Marguerite finished setting out breakfast. Marguerite was playing Christmas music on the radio and they both jumped to turn the channel when “The Christmas Shoes” started playing.

“Not today!” they both said.

Kirk Franklin’s “Now Behold the Lamb” played instead and they went back to business. 

Quin groaned as she peeled herself out of bed. She could hear her mother and sister playing Christmas music in the kitchen and knew it was going to be a long day. 

It wasn’t that she didn’t like Christmas…it was just a little too much sometimes. 

Quin had two tests today--including one she forgot to write down in her planner and so didn’t remember until late last night. Between studying for those tests and finishing a paper that was also due today she didn’t get nearly enough sleep. A brief check on her phone told her the usual route she took to university was jammed with traffic. Perfect. And on top of that, there was an eighty-five percent chance of snow. Wonderful. She’d get to freeze on her moped on the way to school and show up a soggy mess.

She couldn’t wait for Christmas to be over. Maybe then she’d have time to thaw out and have some peace.

By the time Quin reached the kitchen table and began eating breakfast she was already on edge. She made small talk with her mom and sister but was keeping an eye on her phone, waiting to see if any of her friends with cars could give her a ride.

Lucia got up to put away her dishes and squealed when Brenda Lee’s “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” began playing. She turned the volume up and began doing a jig around the kitchen. 

The bells on her socks and earrings jingled and grated on Quin’s nerves. She tried to ignore it and focused on texting back a friend from her literature class that said he might be able to pick her up. When Lucia started singing along, Quin snapped.

“Would you cut it out!” Quin shouted. She jumped out of her seat and turned the music down to almost a whisper. “Do you have to play Christmas music all the time!”

“But...it is Christmas?” Lucia said. “Brenda Lee!”

Quin rolled her eyes.

“Quin…” Marguerite said warningly.

“Christmas is on the twenty-fifth!” Quin continued, still frustrated. “You are so tiring! For crying out loud you’re thirteen! When are you going to grow up!”

“Quin!” Marguerite said sternly.

A crunch distracted all three of them. Quin looked down and realized she’d knocked over a bakery box when she’d jumped from the table...and then accidentally stepped on it.

Lucia sighed as Quin picked up the box only for it to fall apart and dump all the broken cookies on the floor. Regret filled Quin as she looked back up at her sister who looked disappointed and embarrassed.

“Luci…I’m sorry.” Quin said. “I didn’t see them.”

“It’s fine.” Lucia said as she picked up her backpack. “I know it was an accident.”

“Luci--” Quin started.

“I need to head to school or I’ll be late.” Lucia interrupted. “I’ll see you guys later.”

Marguerite and Quin watched as she waved with a fake smile before leaving the apartment. 

“Quin--”

“I know I was harsh, but I didn’t see the cookies!” Quin sighed.

“Honey,” Marguerite said. “I know your not as enthusiastic about this time of year as your sister, but you know how important it is to her. If something’s bothering you then you need to tell us. We can’t read your mind.”

“I know…”

“And you _do not_ have the right to belittle something your sister likes.” Marguerite added sternly.

“Mom, she’s thirteen!” Quin said defensively.

“So?” Marguerite asked. “I’m in my forties and I love Christmas. And even so, why would it matter? As long as it’s not something that hurts her or others what’s the problem?”

Quin sighed. She was still frazzled and now she felt guilty. “I’ll apologize to her later.”

  
  


************

  
  


Lucia hurried along the sidewalk and tried to ignore the sting in her eyes. She knew Quin wasn’t as big a Christmas lover as she was, and that was fine...mostly. It did hurt when Quin accused her of being immature or something for her taste, though. Lucia was happy with her personal quirks. She didn’t need justification for her eccentricities.

Still...it would be nice to have someone that shared her passion. Her Mom liked Christmas too, but Lucia was by far the most _adamant_ Christmas fan she knew of. Her friends were of various mindframes regarding their elf-i-tude. It just got lonely sometimes when she didn’t have anyone that _really_ shared that with her. 

Lucia gasped when she felt a chill run through her.

“Hello, Elfitude…”

“We need a little Christmas now…” Lucia smirked.

  
  


************

  
  


Marinette giggled with Alya as the class excitedly shared the cookies she’d brought in. It was the last day before break and Ms. Bustier had allowed them some free time during class to do some holiday activities. 

“Oh, Marinette!” Lila simpered and Marinette had to avoid grimacing. “It was so nice of you to bring the class cookies! I just wish my allergies didn’t force me to be left out…”

“You’re allergic, Lila?” Kim asked. “That’s too bad…”  
  


Marinette stealed herself as Lila almost purred to Kim as she played up her woe-is-me act.

“Can I have yours then?” Kim asked cheerfully.

Lila’s facade slipped for a moment and she looked almost startled. “Don’t you think Marinette--”

“You wouldn’t mind, right, Lila?” Adrien asked with a smile. “After all, you can’t eat it if your allergic. No need for it to go to waste!”

Adrien smiled innocently at her but inwardly he was practically daring her. Go ahead, he thought, try to turn this on Marinette. See what happens.

Lila’s mouth hung open like a fish as Kim plucked up the cookie with a, “Thanks!” and then ate it in one blissful bite.

The class went on like nothing had happened but Adrien and Marinette watched as Lila silently stued. Marinette blushed when Adrien sent her a wink but immediately tried to bury the butterflies in her stomach.

Just a friend. Just a friend. Just a _friend_!

Marinette tried to repeat the mantra until she had it stuck in her head. She’d have thought it would have made a difference by now! She knew she needed to give up and move on. She’d stepped aside to allow Kagami and Adrien to be happy together. If she’d had any doubt about her choice it had been crushed--along with her heart--when she saw them kissing. Or...almost kissing. 

Marinette tried to move on and give Luka a chance. He was a good friend but she just didn’t have the same feelings for him that he did for her. That and the fact that the pressure from becoming the new Guardian created a distance between them...it just wasn’t fair to either of them. While she was adjusting, Luka noticed something was amiss that she wasn’t telling him about. Marinette knew he probably thought it was still Adrien--and it was partially true. Still, she wondered if things would have turned out differently if they’d started where she was _now_! Settled (kinda...at least a little) in her new role of Guardian and not as chronically racked with guilt about Master Fu. It made her heartsick to think of Luka’s face when they agreed to be just friends, but it was the way it had to be. They became content with it.

Why did she have to be so hung up on a guy that clearly had no intention of seeing her as anything beyond a friend? Marinette felt a surge of melancholy and put extra effort into pushing it away and enjoying the moment. She knew her feelings were valid but she also felt a little foolish for allowing a boy to affect her mood when there were so many problems in the world.

“Oh, Marinette! These are just too cute to eat!” Rose squealed as she pulled Marinette in to take a selfie while displaying a laughing reindeer cookie.

“Thanks, Rose!” Marinette giggled. “We’ve been working overtime on all the Christmas orders at the bakry, but I made these myself!”

“They’re delicious, Marinette!” Adrien complimented.

“Totally, dude!” Nino said as he dunked his cookie in the hot chocolate Mylene donated. 

“Right!” Alya said nudging Marinette. “Girl’s got the Dupain-Cheng touch! Anything they touch turns to edible gold! My mom’s been begging for your gingerbread recipe ever since last year. And she means business! She’s got a stack of recipes she’s willing to barter with.”

Marinette looked slightly starry eyed. “I’ll ask Mama and Papa! Papa loves your Mom’s cherry clafoutis, he warned me that he might trade my firstborn for the recipe!”

The class laughed and exchanged treats and small secret Santa gifts.

“Woah! Check it out!” Alix exclaimed and pointed out the window.

All the students and Ms. Bustier crowded around the window and looked out on a veritable winter wonderland. 

Was it snowing? Certainly. A light snowfall had been predicted. What _hadn’t_ been predicted was the swirls of magic dancing in the air along with floating ornaments, candy, and other decorations. As they watched, an old fashioned sleigh drove past the window and through the glass they could just barely hear the sound of “Sleigh Ride” by Andy Williams. The music seemed to fill the air around them and was not coming from any speakers but from thin air. It was obviously akuma action but the people seemed to be enjoying themselves. 

Marinette gasped and Adrien tensed as the rest of the class erupted into excited chatter.

“Nino, did Chris get akumatized again?” Alya asked.

It certainly looked very similar to the Christmas wonderland Chris’s akuma had dreamt up.

Nino shook his head. “Couldn’t be! His school started break a few days ago and he and Mom went to Mariselle early to spend more time with our grandparents.”

Just then Mr. Damocles got on the loudspeaker. “Attention students and faculty, due to a city wide akuma attack all schools have been officially closed. All afterschool sports or activities have been canceled and it is recommended for everyone to make their way to either an akuma shelter or home. Francois Dupont will reconvene in the New Year. Thank you and Happy Holidays.”

Student’s cheers could be heard throughout the school. Marinette tried to make a quiet get away but quickly found himself smushed between Alya and--she gulped--Adrien who in turn sandwiched by Nino. 

“This is awesome!” Nino fist bumped.

“I’m calling it!” Alya shouted. “Class snow party in the park!”

“Shouldn’t we get out of the way? You know, somewhere safe?” Adrien asked.

Before anyone could say anything music filled the air. It wasn’t too loud or too soft, but the music was completely captivating and felt like it wrapped them all in a warm blanket. They didn’t know, but across the city the lyrics and notes were translated beyond all barriers. Languages were instantly translated, sign language and subtitles appeared for the deaf, and the blind found descriptions whispered in their ears.

“Put up the brightest string of lights I've ever seen!

Slice up the fruitcake;

It's time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough!

For I've grown a little leaner,

Grown a little colder,

Grown a little sadder,

Grown a little older,

And I need a little angel!

Sitting on my shoulder!

Need a little Christmas now!”

A beautiful voice sang out with full acompainment. Marinette briefly wondered if this was anything at all similar to when Luka said he heard heart songs.

“Joyeux Noel, Paris!” the voice said with cheer. “We all need a little Christmas, don’t you think? So haul out the holly, fill up the stocking, and put candles in the window! We need a snappy little ‘happy ever after’! Come join Elfitude in all the fun!”

The music ebbed away and the class looked around in a mix of awe and excitement.

“Magic Snow Day!” Kim exclaimed.

“Let’s go!” 

The class exploded in an excited scramble. Even Mylene and Rose, the timidest of the group, were eager to put on their winter gear. Alya threw Marinette her coat and practically put it on for her in her haste. 

Marinette hated herself for what she was about to say. “Alya? Don’t you--you know--want to go hunt down the akuma and get footage for the Ladyblog?”

“Are you kidding?” Alya laughed. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! I’ll just post some videos of us having fun with the magic! I’m not missing this for anything short of Ladybug swooping down and asking me to be Rena Rouge again!”

Marinette cringed. Alya was devastated when Miracle Queen revealed the supporting heroes’ identities to Hawkmoth. Most of the heroes had come out and talked to their friends and family about their experiences afterward, since they could no longer be called upon. Chloe wasn’t the same afterward, though she’d somehow avoided the public discovering that she’d been a willing accomplice to Hawkmoth.

“Come on, man!” Nino jumped up and down, tugging on Adrien’s arm and looking very much like Chris at the moment. “This is one of the few, like, _fun_ akumas! You got to come with us! Your old man’s so stuck in his office he won’t even know school let out! You can have fun for once!”

“I don’t know, Nino…” Adrien grimaced. “It’s still an akuma, don’t you...feel a little weird...having fun while someone’s hurting and stuff?”

“There’s nothing we can do until Ladybug and Cat Noir free them.” Alix shrugged. “Might as well enjoy it while it lasts!”  
  


There was no room to argue. Their friends linked their arms and joined the joyful exodus of students leaving the school. 

Marinette looked around frantically for a believable exit. All she saw as joyful friends playing in the snow and trying to catch the flying Christmas candy. Even her parents, when she saw them through the bakery window, just waved and were seemingly fine about her going off and having magical fun with her friends. Joyful.

Even Markov was getting into the fun. Zooming about and in absolute wonder of everything around him, Markov flew right up to one of the passing lights and the colorful aurora washed over him and briefly surrounded him in a glow.

“Markov?” Max asked somewhat nervously.

Suddenly laughing, Markov shouted, “Happy birthday!”

Markov was bathed in sparkles and when the light passed he had become white with a tiny black hat on his head.

Children playing on the park playground stopped and stared when they saw him. With a cheer, they surrounded Markov and began asking him questions. Max saw Markov was unharmed and enjoying himself, so he stayed back and watched--phone out and recording--while the children started dancing with Markov and singing “Frosty the Snowman” but replacing the words with “Markov the Robot.”

Adrien couldn’t help but smile and laugh. He felt guilty, but honestly couldn’t sneak himself away from Nino’s attention even if he wanted to. At least it wasn’t like with the Bubbler, so far he hadn’t seen anyone affected maliciously by the akuma. If anything, the sudden wonderland seemed to be improving everyone’s disposition. He did notice Marinette biting her lip and looking around anxiously, though.

Marinette jumped slightly when Adrien took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“Don’t worry.” Adrien said with a smile. “Ladybug will be here soon enough. If the akuma does becomes dangerous, we’ll evacuate right away. You’re safe.”

Marinette smiled but it had an oddness to it. Like she was wistfully sad?  
  


“It’s not me I’m worried about.” Marinette said softly.

Adrien squeezed her hand again. “I’m not surprised. You’re always thinking of others, Marinette. Let us think about you for a change. Enjoy yourself, and if something comes up we’ll deal with it as it happens.”

Marinette felt her cheeks warm and ducked her head so he wouldn’t see her eyes fill with tears. It wouldn’t be so bad to indulge for a few minutes? Would it? She and Tikki could stay alert for opportunities to run.

“Thank you, Adrien.” Marinette whispered. “That sounds nice.”

Suddenly, a snowball harshly hit Marinette on the side of her face and she fell to the ground, almost pulling Adrien with her when he tried to catch her.

“Oops! Heads up, Marinette!” Lila said with forced friendliness.

“Snowball fight!” Kim shouted and immediately gave Alix a snow nuggy. 

Adrien glared at Lila, though no one noticed as they started a snow battle.

“Come on, Marinette!” Adrien said as he helped her up. “Let’s show her who’s boss!”

Marinette smirked with a gleam in her eyes that made Adrien stop and question everything he knew about the world.

“Adrien, you just said the magic words!” Marinette beamed. “For Narnia!”

Marinette threw snowballs in swift succession--most finding their target with Lila Rossi. Adrien laughed and gathered a few tightly packed snowballs for himself. 

“For Narnia! And for Aslan!” Adrien shouted.

He and Marinette let loose a battle cry as they drove forward, demolishing their classmates in a barrage of snow.

  
  
  


**Note:** Was I lumping Lila Rossi together with the White Witch from the _Chronicles of Narnia_? Maybe. I think it was subconscious until I started editing. I have yet to feel any regrets. They are both lying manipulators, afterall. 

Learn from Edmund, don’t make deals with the devil for Turkish Delight. It's never worth it.

I used the name Lucia as a nod to my Scandinavian heritage in honor of St. Lucia day traditions. Berger is a name I found in a generic search for French last names. Google says it means shepherd. 

Elf with attitude come from the “Elves. With. Attitude.” line from the _Santa Clause_ and inspired Elfitude.

The overreaction to “The Christmas Shoes” happens to be exactly what my mom and I do when that song comes on the radio. It’s a beautiful song and I love NewSong but it is way too sad and makes us cry. Nope!

I’m not very familiar with French Christmas songs--sorry!--but I am a certified Christmas elf and have in fact worn Christmas themed outfits every day from November first through New Years before...or...almost every year. 

Who am I kidding? Every. Year. 

I wore a Christmas scarf while I wrote this and have Rankin Bass movies playing in the background. My elf hat was next to me, I was just too warm to wear it.

Johnny Mathis "We Need a Little Christmas"

<https://youtu.be/Y6K9DQnMDlo>

NewSong "The Christmas Shoes"

<https://youtu.be/MpkI7GW2V34>

Kirk Franklin "Now Behold the Lamb"

<https://youtu.be/q4XIn9USDR4>

Brenda Lee "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree"

<https://youtu.be/is4NQkUN3AI>

Andy Williams "Sleigh Ride"

<https://youtu.be/DF2zXfC_ddM>

Jimmy Durante "Frosty the Snowman"

<https://youtu.be/SDNcJL90Y9A>


	2. The Little Drummer Boy

Marinette smiled, her cheeks aching from laughter, as she lay in the snow and watched the snowflakes gently fall. She and her friends had quickly discovered that while the snow was still cold it was also innately magic--or maybe they were magically protected? Either way, they were having no trouble staying comfortably warm while playing in the snow. 

Kim had even been stupid enough--and those were Alix’s exact words--to try the whole lick-a-metal-pole-and-freeze-your-tongue thing. Everyone else cringed back, slightly grossed out, but Kim did not end up a living icicle. 

It actually disappointed him. Marinette was beginning to worry about Kim.

“This was awesome.” Adrien said softly next to her.

Marinette was proud of herself that she didn’t even flinch a little.

“It was.” Marinette agreed, mirth clear in her voice. “I’m still shocked and concerned that you never made a snow angel before!”

“I grew up with Chloe as my only friend. Can you picture her voluntarily allow snow to mar her hair?” Adrien said jokingly, but there was a slight edge to it that, not for the first time, made her wonder just how much he knew about Miracle Queen.

“Judging by how she screemed bloody murder when you dumped snow down her back? I’m gonna go with no.” Marinette sassed.

Adrien laughed and tried to catch a snowflake with his tongue. Nathaniel already discovered the snow tasted like peppermint.

“Ivan, look! It’s Andre!” Mylene exclaimed.

The teens stopped what they were doing and made a dash for Andre who was jovially selling ice cream while wearing a Santa Hat.

“Ice Cream?” Marinette questioned. “In December?”

Adrien shrugged. “At least it won’t melt quickly.”   
  


“Sure, but your internal organs might get frostbite.” Marinette said without thinking and then blushed when Adrien burst out laughing.

It reminded her of the day he gave her the umbrella...stop it, Marinette! Friend! Think friend!

“So do you--” Adrien began.

“Oh, Adrien!” Lila was suddenly towering over them from where they still lay on the ground. “I don’t have any money for ice cream because I gave the last of my cash to a charity for supplying toys to impoverished orphans! Would you mind buying mine?”

Adrien was trying to think his way through this situation quickly…

“Hey, no sweat, Lila!” Nino beat him to it. “I still owe you for babysitting Chris and the twins, right? It’s on me!”

“Oh, but--”   
  


“Come on! The line’s forming!” Alya grabbed Lila’s hand and tugged her to the ice cream cart.

Marinette rolled her eyes and smirked a little at her friends thwarting Lila without even realizing it. Though Alya was still a fan of ‘Adrienette’ so it was possible she was just trying to get Lila to leave them alone together.

“What were you--Adrien, are you alright?” Marinette asked, concerned.

Adrien’s face had paled slightly and he stared at Marinette with wide eyes.

“They let that phycopath babysit the kids?!” Adrien hissed.

Marinette nodded, clearly not happy. “I mean, it started because I couldn’t babysit as regularly…”

“So what?!” Adrien exclaimed softly. “It’s not your job! And it  _ shouldn’t _ be hers! I can’t believe they’re entrusting children to her!”

Marinette leveled a look at him. “They think she’s trustworthy.” 

Adrien sighed in frustration and scrubbed his hand through his hair. “I didn’t think it would take this long to get her to lie herself into a corner! You saw how everyone reacted when you confronted them about her! They’re not going to believe it until the truth smacks them in the face...or smacks Lila in the face--I’m okay with that.”

“Adrien!” Marinette gasped in surprise.

“She tried to get you expelled and I’ve had to suffer through photoshoots with her!” Adrien grumbled. “This has gone way past trying to make herself look good to her new classmates!”

Marinette sighed. “You can say that again.”

Adrien shook his head and pushed himself to his feet before offering his hand to Marinette.

“Enough about her, I was going to ask if you want ice cream, Marinette?” Adrien smiled.

Marinette blushed but tried to internally  _ yell _ her mantra of ‘just friends’ so she could remain composed.

“I’d like that, thanks.” Marinette let him help her up. “I wonder if he’s got any seasonal flavors!”

Marinette and Adrien joined the back of the line waiting at Andre’s cart. They both breathed a sigh of relief because Lila was several people ahead of them and stuck between Alya and Nino. She appeared to be sulking, but Alya and Nino were so consumed with flirting--apparently--that they didn’t notice.

Adrien let his thoughts wander as they drifted into a comfortable silence. The last time he’d been to Andre’s was when he and Kagami ended up together after Marinette suddenly disappeared.

He tried to move on from Ladybug--really he had. He’d stopped flirting with her...for all of a day. Ladybug actually missed the banter and he missed the playful interaction. Ladybug since gave him a weekly quota of flirty lines he could spew. Flirting at inappropriate times counted as an extra penalty flirt. If he went over his flirt quota at the end of the week, then he was subject to Cat Noir shaming and and forced to eat a piece of camembert cheese for every flirt over his limit that he’d gone.

The Cat Noir shaming almost backfired on her because he tended to preen and enjoy the goofy attention. The camembert, however, almost made him throw up every time...so it evened out. 

Ladybug posted the Cat Noir shaming on the Ladyblog and it opened up a whole new forum based on Cat Noir pick-up lines. People would post videos of Cat Noir’s various attempts around the city and rate them. They would also post suggestions for lines he should try and then rate the attempts. 

Many, many,  _ many _ suggestions came from an account named “Tottally_NOT_CatNoir.” Ladybug had given him such a stinky eye for that one, despite his oh-so-innocent protests that it wasn’t him. She said it was cheating, but he said he had no idea what she meant because only flirtatious remarks he made  _ directly too _ Ladybug counted against the limit.

Adrien thought it was hilarious when Marinette started responding to his comments--he knew it was her because he knew her handle, Pink_and_the_Polka_Dots, from his civilian life. She sassed him back and he thought it was a lot of fun. He tried to do it in person, but when the topic of Totally_NOT_CatNoir came up with the group and he tried a flirty line out on her, Marinette had gone beat read and hadn’t been able to make any response. He supposed she was still uncomfortable with him playing around after that disaster at the wax museum. 

That brought his thoughts back around to the last time they were at Andre’s together. It had been such a fun time with all three of them and Adrien was thrown when all of a sudden Marinette was gone and he suddenly found himself in a romantic situation with Kagami. 

He cared a lot about Kagami, honestly. They were kindred spirits in a way that even he and Chloe did not share--even after they had known each other all of their lives. Both he and Kagami had similar upbringings and controlling parents, though Kagami’s mother was more of a structured-rigidity type of controlling while his father...Adrien didn’t really know what was going on with his father. 

It would be kind to say that Gabriel was on some sort of a power trip. Maybe a byproduct of the competitive nature of his industry? But Adrien knew plenty of people in the fashion industry--like Marinette--that took the competition in stride without developing a superiority complex. It was--as Chloe would say--ridiculous. The next time his father enacted a power play by performing a confrontation while standing on good-old-fashioned ‘high ground’ like the stairs Adrien just wanted to burst out laughing. Or he would...if the confrontation didn’t make his stomach clench and try to jump out of his mouth. 

On paper, Kagami and Adrien had a lot in common and would probably be good together. However, that might have been precisely the problem.

Kagami said he hesitated, which was true...but it really wasn’t the full picture.

Kagami saw them as being a lot alike, but Adrein saw them as being  _ too much _ alike in the worst ways. Kagami thrived on structure and discipline--she valued it. Adrien, meanwhile, was a prisoner to structure and discipline. While they came from similarly strict backgrounds, Kagami took pride in her responsibility and heritage and wanted to live up to her family name. Much of what she did, she did because she believed in what she was doing and if she didn’t then Kagami would do something to change it. 

Adrien did what he had to do because he was required to do it. Family was important to him, but not as his father defined family during recent years. Since his mother disappeared, family had become a one-way responsibility with little reciprocation. Adrien fulfilled his obligations and duties, but often sacrificed his hopes and dreams to accomplish it. At best, he was biding his time, rarely able to invest himself into anything he believed in. He didn’t have the privilege of that kind of freedom, unless he was Cat Noir.

Kagami was decisive, but Adrien was not hesitant. When he  _ was _ himself, Adrien was impulse.

As it was now, Kagami was a great friend...but in a romantic relationship she was the last thing he needed. Her goal was to pair with the perfect partner, but the qualities she saw in him were not the entire picture. When Kagami realized she was expecting him to fit a mold of what she perceive and Adrien realized he didn’t feel wholly himself around her, they agreed to just be friends.

Adrien was relieved. He came to realize their relationship had all the structure and procedure of his relationship with his father...only with more interaction and the warmth and care of friendship. 

When they reached the front of the line, Andre looked up and beamed at them.

“Ah! The young lovers grace me with their presence at last!” Andre exclaimed with a smile. “A sweethearts special for the two of you, yes?”

Marinette surprised him when she yelped and started stammering and waving her hands. “No!  _ No _ ! We just--and I...but! No!”

Adrien felt his heart clench at her vehemence, but understood she was uncomfortable.

Marinette took a not-so-calming breath and put a wide, toothy, unconvincing smile on her face. She pointed, stiff and wooden like a nutcracker, to the menu on the side of his cart. “I just mean...I’d like to try some of those seasonal flavors you have, Andre!”

“Ah! Something merry and bright for our winter romance!” Andre said with a wink.

All three of them jumped slightly when Dean Martin’s “Winter Romance” filled the air.

Marinette and Adrien laughed awkwardly.

“Um…” Marinette said, blushing brightly. “Peppermint chocolate chip and gingerbread cookie dough, please?”

“I’d like to try the peppermint too, please? And the hot cocoa ice cream?” Adrien said as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

Adrien went to pay for Marinette’s ice cream, but she beat him to the punch--practically throwing the money at Andre and then bolting with a quick, high pitched, “Joyeux Noel!”

By the time he caught up with her, Marinette had eaten half her ice cream and was turned away from him, occupied with something in her purse.

“Hey, you okay?” Adrien asked, setting a gentle hand on her shoulder. 

“Gah!” Marinette yelped and jumped. “I mean, fine! I’m fine, are you fine? Totally fine! You didn’t hear anything I was saying just a moment ago, did you? Because even so, I’m fine!”

Adrien watched her skeptically. “Alright...and no I didn’t hear you. Why? Were you trying to say something to me?”

“Only that…” Marinette’s eyes trailed to their classmates, seated around a snowy picnic table. “We should catch up to the class! And look! Lila’s boxed in, so we won’t even have to sit next to her!”

“Perfect!” Adrien smiled, offering her his arm. “Pays to be the last in line sometimes, doesn’t it!”

Adrien missed Marinette’s startled, red face as he led them to the table. They only parted when they took seats facing each other at the end.

Everyone seemed to be having a great time, though Marinette and Adrien felt silent surges of guilt every time they remembered they had a job to do. Adrien kept casting silent looks to his phone, wondering how long he had until his bodyguard caught up to him and if he should just stay with his friends until the man showed up and then transform when he got home, or if he needed to make his getaway sooner.

Mylene’s startled gasp caught the group’s attention. “Ivan, it’s going to hit you!”

She’d barely said the words when Ivan flinched and began to glow. The aurora expanded and encompassed the class before anyone could even react.

Marinette blinked as she took in her surroundings. There was a wonderful, intense-yet-peaceful calm in the air. With wide eyes, she looked around and realized she and her friends were no longer in the park. It was night, stars shone down on them brightly, one brighter and more magnificent than any she’d ever seen. Marinette and all her friends looked as though they’d been turned into animated characters from a Rankin/Bass Production and they wore the clothing of ancient Hebrew shepherds. She didn’t see Ivan at first, but when she did Marinette gasped.

They were all kneeling before a rundown stable, only illuminated by the torches held by other shepherds. Ivan, bewildered and frozen, was standing front and center with an ancient drum strapped to his chest. A young hebrew girl was smiling beatifically at him and gave him a simple nod. Ivan jolted out of his surprise and he shifted slightly, revealing a manger that held a tiny, newborn babe.

Music filled the air again as Ivan began a simple, heartfelt beat on the drum. The voices of a children’s choir filled the air as Marinette stared, transfixed, on the baby, feeling a sense of peace and importance radiating from the child.

“Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum….”

Ivan smiled slightly as he played.

“A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum….”

It felt like a soothing presence had settled over the crowd. Marinette forgot to feel guilty about the akuma and just let herself be.

“Baby Jesus, pa rum pum pum pum, I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum...” 

Ivan seemed to come alive behind his drum. He smiled gently and held himself proudly.

“I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum. That’s fit to give our King, pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum…”

A movement at Marinette’s side briefly caught her attention and she flinched when she realized Tikki was beside her as a reddish lamb. Marinette glanced about quickly but was relieved no one had noticed. Many of her classmates had sheep beside them--Adrien even had a small black lamb at his side. Tikki gave her a happy look, but then turned her attention to the manger as did Marinette.

“Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum…”

The tempo changed slightly and Marinette began to smile and nod along with the song. She recognized it wasn’t a compulsion though, as not all of her friends joined in. Ah, she thought, free will. Of course.

“Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum. The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum.”

Even Tikki and the little black sheep beside Adrien began nodding their heads to the beat and Marinette felt like giggling in joy.

“I played my drum for him, pa rum pum pum pum. I played my best for him, pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum…”

“Then he smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum. Me and my drum.”

Marinette could feel the blessed moment begin to come to a close and was sad to see it end.

“Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum. A new born King to see…”

Marinette pressed her hands to her heart, as though trying to hold the moment and cherish it.

Bright, warm light encompassed them again and they were all back in the park, seated as they originally were around the picnic table. Peace still clung to Marinette as her eyes fluttered and adjusted to the change. Adrien stared at her from across the table and she smiled back as she gently lowered her hands to her lap.

Rankin Bass "The Little Drummer Boy"

<https://youtu.be/HRbTrensuiY>

Dean Martin's "Winter Romance"

<https://youtu.be/NQRPv6FnQuQ>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
> 
> Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
> 
> “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
> 
> When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
> 
> So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
> 
> Luke 2:8-20  
> New International Version


	3. Nuttin For Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was a day behind my goal, so...ta-da! Second chapter in one day!

Lila glanced around calculatively as her classmates murmured quietly after the magic faded. She scowled when she saw the awed look on Adrien’s face as he gazed at Marinette. 

“Gosh! That was just incredible!” Mylene exclaimed as she hugged a smiling Ivan.

“You’re our own little drummer boy!” Rose said with a giggle.

“Markov was also the featured character in a carol when he was hit by the light.” Max observed. “I wonder if the beam’s purpose is to enact a carol that highlights the attributes of the target…”

Lila smirked demurely. A musical number celebrating her would be just the thing to regain her classmates focus. And, as a bonus, it was sure to frustrate Marinette and her little friends would be annoyed with her for stealing Lila’s thunder and making ‘poor Lila’ feel bad. Lila would make sure of it.

“Max, that’s a brilliant theory!” she said charmingly.

Adrien jolted out of his reverie and he and Marinette stared at Lila in suspicion from the other end of the picnic table.

“Thank you, Lila.” Max said. “This truly is one of the most fascinating akumas I have seen to date. I wonder if there’s time before Ladybug and Cat Noir cleanse the akuma to test the theory…”

The teens started to get up from their seats and throw away the trash from their ice cream. Lila was pleased to see they still stayed close together in clumps. Good. If Ivan’s experience was anything to go by then this would help her plan. She watched the streams of light dancing through the air and tried to get a sense of their timing and where they’d likely end up.

“I do wish I might see what song would play for me,” Lila said in a stage-soft voice that was loud enough for them all to hear. “My grandfather wrote a carol that has always been very near and dear to me...I wonder…”

“You should try to get hit, Lila!” Rose exclaimed in excitement. 

Mylene chimed in with, “I bet you’d be featured in your grandfather’s song!”

“Any song you get would have to be awesome, Lila!” Kim added enthusiastically.

Several others added their voices to the encouragement, but none saw Marinette and Adrien exchange thoughtful glances.

“Oh! I’m afraid I’d be too bashful!” Lila ducked her head as though embarrassed. “Besides, it’s so special to me, I wouldn’t want anyone to make fun of me for it…”

Lila looked pointedly at Marinette, but her subtle dig was completely unnoticed and wasted.

“No one will make fun of you!” Alya defended. “Go for it!”

“I think it’d be really interesting to see what song you get, Lila.” Marinette added sweetly.

Lila wanted to frown at Marinette’s phony cheerfulness. The class ate up her angelic attitude, but Lila was determined to crush her.  _ She _ would be the winner of this war and Marinette would know her place. Lila would get everything she wanted and bask in the class’s adoration until she was ready to move on to something better.

The class continued to encourage her so she smiled shyly. “We’ll… I-I mean...if you all insist!”

She made a show of looking around and then lunged for a beam of light that was coming toward her just as she’d predicted.

The class crowded around, eager to see what would happen next as Lila began to glow. This time the light didn’t engulf them all, but instead surrounded them in a tall ribbon, like a fence. 

Lila caught Marinette’s gaze and sent her a triumphant smirk as the music began.

Playfull, bright music began to play a song Lila didn’t know. Most of the class didn’t seem to recognize it either, but Nino did and he frowned. Lila didn’t notice, but she did cast an irritated look toward Adrien when he also recognized it and snorted.

“I’m gettin nuttin for Christmas!” a childish voice blared around them and caused them to jump.

“Marinette and Adrien are mad!”

A few of the teens looked at each other and at the two in confusion.

“I’m gettin nuttin for Christmas! Cause I ain’t been nuttin but bad!”

Lila’s face contorted in an ugly glower, but she quickly reschooled her expression into one of dismay.

“Marinette?” Lila sniffled. “What did--”

“Hey! What’s that!” Alix shouted and pointed as images began to play across the light swirling around them.

Everyone paid close attention to what was playing and Lila paled.

“I lied about knowing celebrities,

Somebody snitched on me!

I stole Adrien’s book, Marinette took the blame for me,

Somebody snitched on me!”

Adrien gasped. “That was you!”

They watched Marinette take the book out of the trash and return it to Mr. Agreste. Marinette was only glad it didn’t show Tikki or her as Ladybug.

“I fooled the school with fake disabilities!

Somebody snitched on me!”

Mylene gaped and many looked horror struck.

“I isolated Marinette so Adrien would sit with me, 

Somebody snitched on me!”

Marinette trembled a bit, unable to believe what was happening, and instantly felt the brotherly arms of Nino wrap around her shoulders and protectively pull her close.

“I saved Max, but it was all an act!

Somebody snitched on me!

Played every sympathetic hack!

Somebody snitched on me!”

Images started to come faster. Bits of conversations, claims, and threats joined the audio--amplifying Lila’s voice. First, to Max’s shame, was the cafeteria scene with the napkin followed by everyone glaring at Marinette for ‘hurting’ Lila.

“I threatened Marinette in the bathroom,

Somebody snitched on me!

Left her for Hawkmoth but stole her doom,

Somebody snitched on me!

Everyone gasped when they watched Lila purposefully grab the butterfly.

“I lied to get into Adrien’s bedroom,

Forced a kiss and was really rude,

Sent the picture to every girl he knew,

Made Cat Noir leave Ladybug with that angry shrew,

Somebody snitched on me!”

More and more events sped before their eyes. Everything spilled out before their horrified eyes. Lila lying to Nino, lying to Chris, lying to Max, and Alya, and everyone. Lying about dating Arien. Lying about Ladybug and trying to sabotage her. They saw her get Adrien’s bodyguard and Natalie in trouble with Mr. Agreste. Worse, they saw Lila work together with Mr. Agreste as his spy, obviously trying to isolate Adrien for herself and turn his father against his other classmates.

Chloe gasped and stewed in a stunned rage when she saw how Lila played on her insecurities regarding Ladybug not picking her. 

Her adventures in Achu were exposed as a hoax and her happy involvement in the Hero’s Day battle highlighted.

“I stole the answer’s to Bustier’s test,

Set it up to frame Marinette,

Pretended to be hurt by the Clumsinette,

Planted evidence with my amulet,

Got her expelled and everyone wept,

Lied to get her back at Adrien’s besett,

Somebody snitched on me!”

Marinette felt slightly dizzy, watching the confirmation of all the lies she’d known Lila made and some that she hadn’t known. Adrien was the reason for Lila making up that baloney to get her back?!

“Next year I’ll fix Marinette up good!

Use Adrien as I think I should!

Next year I’ll have my reign over this stupid brood,

Challenge me? I’ll ruin anyone who thinks they could!

I’d start now, but I think I’ll wait…

Or somebody’ll snitch on me!”

The music ended with a flourish and the images disappeared. The light surrounding them spun around and above them and then rushed down on Lila.

Lila screamed as lumps of coal reined on her and she was buried in sooty grime up to her waist.

When the pelting stopped, Lila screamed in anger and thrashed about as she tried to free herself. She slipped and tumbled down the slope of coal, landing at the feet of her classmates.

Suddenly still, Lila looked up into the angry faces above her.

Most of them looked horrified and furious. Rose had her face in her hands and was sobbing heavily. Juleka and Mylene were trying to comfort her, but Juleka was icily glaring her down. Mylene looked utterly betrayed. Nino was still clutching Marinette, as though Lila would strike the girl at any moment, and his glasses were fogging from his emotion. Marinette was clinging to him--looking mortified and vulnerable as though her diary had been read and her secret shames exposed. Sweet, sunny Adrien was the most surprising of all: he was glaring her down as he clenched and unclenched his fists--as though trying to will actual claws to appear. His expression was outright feral and frightening, teeth bared in a snarl. But Alya…

Alya stood above her, clearly disgusted, phone out and recording. She pointedly stopped recording the video before beginning to speak.

Lila desperately thought about how she could turn this around. “That--that wasn’t true! None of that actually happened! I’ve only ever been nice to Marinette, I don’t know why everyone’s out to get me!”

“Marinette was right about you.” Alya growled lowly. “I don’t want to hear your voice. This is what’s going to happen: you are going to come with me to the police station--willingly--and we’re going to show them this video with a full confession of every stunt you’ve tried to pull! Try to resist, and I  _ will not hesitate _ to use every maneuver my sister has ever taught me to get you there by force! I don’t care how many pieces you’re in once we get there!”

“You can’t blame me for this! It’s the akuma’s fault!” Lila snapped. “You can’t prove any of that was real!”

“Maybe,” Alya bit out. “But I bet the police would be glad to take this as evidence and launch an investigation. Harassment, fraud, theft, malicious slander, aiding a terrorist…at the very least I bet your mom and the school board is going to be interested in all your absences.”

Lila lunged for the phone but Alya kicked her hand away. Instead, Lila made a dash for it, quickly followed by Alya, Alix, and Kim yelling at her and chasing her down.

“Alya, wait!” Marinette called but Adrien held her back.

“Let them go, Marinette.” Adrien said softly while he glared after them. “Lila brought this on herself. She had plenty of opportunities to come clean and do the right thing but chose not to. She  _ wanted _ to do this. Now she’ll face the consequences and it will be nobody’s fault but her own.”

Marinette whimpered. “B-but! Alya looks good in orange but even she can’t pull off prison orange!”

Nino squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll go after them, dudette. Make sure they don’t do anything that Lila can use against them. But we’re talking later, okay? I’m so sorry we dissed you and let this happen.

Marinette gaped like a fish, belatedly nodding as Nino, Max, and Markov took off after the group. Chloe looked smug and proclaimed that she would make sure the police was ready for them...and then told Sabrina to make the call to her dad and get her car to pick them up.

She supposed she should feel some vindication or relief...but Marinette was stunned. Watching Lila’s schemes play out before everyone forced Marinette to relive everything and left her feeling exposed. All her paranoid fears come to life--what would Lila do next? Who would believe her? Would anyone? Marinette was sure she wouldn’t feel real relief until Lila was charged or investigated or whatever was going to happen. Probably wouldn’t feel relief until Lila was out of her life completely.

As her remaining classmates surrounded her, Marintte didn’t even realize there were a few tears leaking from her eyes. Rose hugged her tightly and there were apologies spewing from her lips, as well as Mylene’s. Juleka added her quiet support while everyone else talked over one another in astonishment and shame.

Marinette felt herself be pulled slightly away from the bedlam and soft, cold fingers dried her tears. She looked up into Adrien’s eyes as he stared back at her solemnly. He waited until she followed his example of taking a few slow, deep breaths.

“Marinette,” Adrien said, holding her hands. “The next time you’re hurting, or if I or anyone else gives bad advice, or says someone isn’t hurting someone but you know that they are--especially if that someone is you--I want you to tell me. Tell anyone, tell everyone, okay? You don’t have to suffer in silence. You don’t  _ deserve _ to suffer in silence. I’m so sorry I gave you that advice. Next time--heaven forbid anything like this should happen again--I want you to give me all the details and we’ll figure out how to deal with the problem together. And if I do something stupid you can...shave my head.”

Marinette snorted, almost started to laugh hysterically. “Shave your head? Who are you, Samson?”

Adrien shrugged and grinned mischievously. “Well, if I have so much on my brain that it can’t function properly then clearly I need to take something off of it! And the mane is the easiest dead weight to get rid of!”

Marinette started laughing--big, full belly laughs. Adrien joined her and pulled her in for a hug. It quickly turned into a group event, with everyone crowding around and wrapping each other up closely.

  
  
  


"Nutting For Christmas"

<https://youtu.be/9n-D5djkMiI>

Bonus:

Not a Christmas song, but if you're interested in a little Samson and Delilah parody then watch this awesome Tim Hawkins' video:

<https://youtu.be/2ZUgSrSlYy8>

Or the reason why I can never hear the song "Do You Hear What I Hear" the same way again. Also Tim Hawkins:

<https://youtu.be/ey_IL57a-b0>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows.  
> James 1:17
> 
> When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  
> Matthew 9:36


	4. The Gift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of my favorite Christmas songs and one of the first songs I thought of when I decided to do this fic! I grew up listening to it on the radio and for some reason I haven’t heard it played for years and I miss it!

With a few sniffles, they pulled apart and Marinette used her mittens to dry her cheeks. Rose produced a fresh supply of embroidered handkerchiefs from her coat pocket and shared them with everyone. 

Juleka got a phone call from her mom who asked her to come back to  _ The Liberty _ . Marinette distinctly heard the term ‘wassail’ and she chuckled as Juleka shook her head fondly at her mother’s antics.

The group began to disperse, Nathaniel offered Juleka a ride home when his mom pulled up in their car...which had received a festive candy cane striped paint job. Rose and Mylene were still hovering around Marinette and beside themselves with turmoil over Lila’s machinations. Ivan hung back with Adrien, giving the girls the space they needed. Adrien was still stewing and processing everything. Ivan was feeling angry and foolish but he felt uncomfortable expressing himself in group settings like this.

“Ha! A twenty cent euro coin?! What’s that going to buy? A gumball?!” Mean laughter brought them back to their surroundings.

A charity collection box was placed on the corner near where they were. A few children had gathered around it and seemed to be making fun of a young girl who had just put a coin in the collection. As the other boys and girls laughed, the little girl looked ashamed and dropped her gaze to the ground.

Enraged, Marinette straightened her shoulders and started for the young group. She could feel her friends closely behind and heard Rose mutter a dainty harrumph--easily picturing her cross look without even having to turn around.

Before they could say anything to the group of kids, the dancing lights swooped down and encompassed the girl. The light immediately spread out to include the other kids and the teens in it’s glow.

Marinette looked around, momentarily disoriented, and found herself on a dusty roadside. She couldn’t see her friends, but could  _ feel  _ that they were all watching the same scene. 

All was quiet for a moment but then an angelic voice sang out around her.

“A poor orphan girl named Maria

Was walking to market one day,

She stopped for to rest by the roadside

Where a bird with a broken wing lay.”

The little girl from before came and approached the injured bird.

“A few moments passed till she saw it,

For it’s feathers were covered with sand,

And soon clean and wrapped it was traveling

In the warmth of Maria’s small hand.”

The little girl lost all of her earlier timid sadness and softly smiled as she cradled the bird gently. The scene shifted and the girl took the change in stride. They appeared in a village market and she held the bird tenderly, protecting it from being jostled by the other marketers. 

“She happily gave her last peso

On a cage made of rushes and twine.

She fed it loose corn from the market;

Watched it grow stronger with time.”

Though time seemed to speed up around them, the little girl clearly took diligent care of the small bird. No hardship kept her from tending the bird and nursing him back to health.

“Now the gift giving service was coming

And the church shone with tinsel and light.

And all of the town folk brought presents

To lay by the manger that night.”

Sheepish once again, the little girl held her caged bird close to her as she watched people gather around her, carrying beautiful, lavish gifts.

“There were diamonds, incense, and perfumes

And packages fit for a king.

But for one raged bird in his small cage,

Maria had nothing to bring.”

The little girl hung back. She sat in the shadows, out of sight while the others gathered together in fellowship and celebration. She never allowed herself to be seen, shrinking back even farther whenever someone came near. The bird nuzzled as close to her as he could, even through the bars of his cage.

“She waited till just before midnight

So no one would see her go in.

And crying she knelt by the manger,

For her gift was unworthy of Him.”

Heartbreaking as the sight was, the little girl crept to the manger. As tears streamed from her eyes, the little girl pressed a kiss to the bird’s head through the cage bars. With a bittersweet smile, she placed the bird and his cage next to the manger. Her smile brightened, pleased with her gift, but wavered when she compared it to the grander gifts surrounding her.

“Then a voice spoke to her through the darkness:

‘Maria, what brings you to me?

If the bird in the cage is your offering,

Open the door, let me see.”

Wide-eyed and breathless, she obeyed the voice that held all the power of the Heavens and all the tenderness of a loving Father.

“So she trembled, she did as He asked her.

And out of the cage the bird flew;

Soaring up into the rafters,

On a wing that would feel good as new.”

The bird leapt from the cage to her hand for just a moment, as though giving his thanks. Then he spread his wings and with a few soft beats of his wings he had risen into the air.

“And just as the midnight bells rang out

And the little bird started to sing;

A song that no words could recapture,

For its beauty was fit for a King!”

Marinette’s attention was captured by the melody the bird began to sing. Echoing into her soul, it was not the call of a simple animal. She had no words to describe it’s tone, only to say it reverberated in her heart and made her heart leap.

“Now Maria felt blessed just to listen

To the cascading notes sweet and long.

As her offering was lifted to heaven

By the very first nightingale's song.”

The little girl’s face filled with joy and happy tears leaked from her eyes. Though lavish gifts--that she couldn’t hope to be able to offer--still surrounded her, her heart was light and filled with warmth and hope.

The song of the nightingale faded away along with the angelic voice. Marinette and her friends looked amongst each other, brought back to the corner as though nothing had even happened.

“Um...Maria?”

Marinette and the others turned to look at the group of kids, almost having forgotten about the other children.

One of the young boys shuffled forward and coughed into his hand, ducking his head and not meeting her eyes.

“Um...we...we wanted to say we were sorry.” the little boy said quietly.

“We shouldn’t have made fun of you for your donation.” a little girl added.

“It was really cool of you to give your money like you did.” another little girl piped in.

“We wasted all our money...but you saved yours just so you could give it to someone in need.” the first boy finished.

Maria smiled tentatively at the other kids.

Marinette leaned down to the level of the children and asked, “Are you all alright?”

The other kids all looked to Maria, who smiled broadly and nodded her head.

“We’re good.” she said sweetly, prompting the others to smile too.

“My Dad’s making hot chocolate, do you wanna come?” the first boy offered.

“Sure!” Maria ran off with the other children, laughing and helping each other up as they slid along the snowy sidewalk.

Adrien puffed out a breath, reeling from the emotional whiplash of going to the child’s defense only to be caught in the scene and then returned to the children’s change of attitude. “Well, there you go!” he said bemused. “And you guys dare to call  _ me  _ sunshine while that child exists!”

Aselin Debison "The Gift"

<https://youtu.be/xVWhr7Htr3M>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
> 
> Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on.”
> 
> Mark 12:41-44  
> New International Version


	5. Last Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for a bunch of episodes; including Felix, Love Eater, and Miracle Queen.

The last of the little group drifted apart. Ivan walked Mylene home and Rose dashed away when she spotted a few neighbor kids she babysat. She waved goodbye to Adrien and Marinette as she helped the kids carry a sled to a sliding hill that had appeared by Notre Dame.

Which left Adrien and Marinette standing on the corner. Alone. Together.

Marinette was panicking for more than one reason. She had yet to have a moment where she could sneak away and transform. One of her friends--often Adrien--always seemed to be sticking to her side and all her claims about things she needed to do were brushed aside. It didn’t help that her parents came out almost directly after seeing their daughter and her friends head to the park and brought everyone cups of hot chocolate. They took one look at Marinette’s strained face and thought she was overworked and stressed again like she had been when Max got akumatized into Gamer 2.0. They went out of their way to encourage her to relax and have fun for a little while--which her friends overheard and took it upon themselves to make sure Marinette took time off from her obligations. 

It was all very touching, and Marinette was enjoying herself…

But now she was standing  _ alone _ with the love of her--friend. With the friend of her life. How was she going to ditch Adrien? Ditch Adrien! Turmoil arose within Marinette at such a traitorous thought! But seriously,  _ how _ could she sneak away from him without seeming rude or like she didn’t want to spend time with him? He already knew her parents basically  _ ordered _ her to have fun! She wouldn’t be expected to come home and help with anything. Her Papa had blabbed that she didn’t have commissions due. And they were on break so she couldn’t even plea that she had to do homework!

Little did she know that Adrien was in the same boat. Of all the time for his father to not be uptight about knowing his location and having a guardian breathing down his neck! Adrien would feel bad about ditching Marinette on a normal day, but today?! There was no  _ way  _ he was abandoning her after he finally realizing everything that she’d been going through! 

“So…” Marinette said awkwardly.

“Yeah...heh, heh…” Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. “I wonder if my bodyguard is trying to track me down yet? Father might have missed school being let out early, but usually Nathalie and the Gorilla are pretty on top of those details.”

Marinette tried to suppress a giggle. “You really call him the Gorilla?”

Adrien smiled back and nodded. “He insists. I had trouble pronouncing his real name when I was little and he told me I could call him that. It was a nickname from his army days.”

“That was sweet of him.” Marinette beamed and Adrien caught himself staring softly at her.

He cleared his throat and looked the opposite direction, flustered but unsure why. “Yeah, he’s a pretty great guy. I wonder where he is?”

A tugging on his sleeve brought his attention back to Marinette. Her eyes were popping but her face was slack in astonishment. She was pointing her arm straight out and he followed where she pointed.

Adrien’s eyes also popped.

“Huh. Guess that answers that.” he said calmly.

The Gorilla was racing down the street decked out as the biggest nutcracker Adrien had ever seen. The man was smiling and brandishing an old fashioned sword as he chased down and dueled a giant Mouse King. The two were pulling off moves that would have made Errol Flynn proud and the Gorilla looked like he was having the time of his life. Music from  _ The Nutcracker Ballet _ followed them and Marinette and Adrien’s eyes trailed them until they were out of sight.

“That...I wish I had recorded that.” Adrien said.

Marinette nodded.

“You know, as Multimouse you’d be the perfect protagonist for the Nutcracker. You could be the Sugarplum Mouse Princess and rule them all!” Adrien said distractedly.

Marinette laughed but then went rigid. “Wait, how did you know about Multimouse?”

Adrien could suddenly feel sweat drip down his back. “Oh...I heard Mendeleiev say something about you being the mouse hero? Multimouse, right? That’s what I heard...heh, heh.”

“Oh.” Marinette blushed and looked straight ahead, rocking back and forth on her heels. “Yep! Thank you, um, th-that's kinda a cute, funny idea!”

“Y-yeah, um--” Adrien cut himself off as he noticed another beam of light heading towards them.

He blamed it on the stress and the shock of almost outing himself and seeing his taciturn bodyguard fighting an anthropomorphic mouse. All of this combined with his natural protective tendencies only fueled his already spiked inclination to defend Marinette after the Lila incident. Otherwise, Adrien would not have momentarily forgotten that the beams were not dangerous.

Something inside him that was normally only this awake for Ladybug or his teammates roared to life--just as it had on Heroes Day--and it yelled to him:  _ protect _ !

“Marinette!” he yelled as he reached for her.

He was too late. The light hit Marinette, but as it did he was already wrapping his arms around her and it wound up hitting them both.

Marinette squeaked as they both began to glow.

This time, it was like their world was swathed by the aurora and it was as though they were suspended in the light. Adrien loosened his grasp on Marinette but subconsciously twined their hands together. Marinette almost stopped breathing but her attention was quickly caught by the keyboard introduction of a song...a very familiar song…

Oh.

“No!” Marinette gasped.

Adrien looked at her in concern. “Marinette?”

She wouldn’t answer him though, if she even heard him at all. Marinette appeared stricken and wasn’t really looking at anything, just staring out into the aurora in horror.

“Last Christmas, I gave you my heart

But the very next day you gave it away.

This year, to save me from tears,

I’ll give it to someone special.”

Adrien’s head whipped around to watch as the light shifted and he suddenly found himself watching another Marinette; this one working in her room with a bright smile on her face as she lovingly crafted the Santa hat she gave him last year.

In quick succession, time flew forward. She ran out to give the gift to the Gorilla. Adrien saw himself take the present from his bodyguard and then retreat into his room, despondent without his mother and feeling ignored by his father. He watched himself kneel in the snow and how his face lit up seeing the present from his friend that he had forgotten about in his sorrow. He watched himself grow hopeful.

He watched himself give the hat to Santa after the man showed him kindness after the children had been rude to him. He watched Marinette  _ really _ take notice of Santa wearing the hat she made, later that night at the impromptu party. He watched her expression freeze as she recognized her gift and the smile she wore became more fragile and forced. He watched himself explain what happened to her later and told her how much her gift meant to him. 

Her smile became genuine again; but now, watching her a year later, he saw disappointment and resignation.

“Once bitten and twice shy,

I keep my distance

But you still catch my eye.

Tell me, baby, 

Do you recognize me?

Well, it’s been a year

It doesn’t surprise me.

Adrien’s jaw dropped. He knew the next lyric. 

“Merry Christmas! I wrapped it up and sent it,

With a note saying, ‘I love you,’ I meant it. 

Now I know what a fool I’ve been

But if you kissed me now

I know you’d fool me again.”

As the chorus repeated, more was revealed. So many moments flew before his eyes. He saw them dancing at Chloe’s party and watched another time when Marinette tried to talk to him with a bright red face and a deer-in-the-headlights expression. He watched her spend all her time making him his blue scarf--the scarf he thought his father gave him--and then he watched her give up the credit because he was happy.

Adrien didn’t have time to dwell on any one thing. He saw her try to psych herself up before approaching him. She was the one who found his valentine and answered it--of course! He should have paid more attention to those handwritings.

A smile tugged at his lips, remembering all the times she video called him when with their friends so that he could be included. They played video games, cooked with her great uncle. Her eyes sparkled when he gave her the lucky charm for her birthday.

Then came the Museum Incident.

That seemed to be the turning point. After witnessing his abysmal attempt at humor, he watched her become upset and cry.

“A crowded room, friends with tired eyes;

I’m hiding from you, and your soul of ice.

My gosh, I thought you were someone to rely on!

Me? I guess I was a shoulder to cry on.

A face on a lover with a fire in her heart;

A girl undercover but you tore me apart!

Marinette sank to the ground after hearing him describe her as ‘just a very good friend’ to Kagami. The time frame jumped around, but he saw more. The heartbroken look on her face when he talked about the girl he loved followed by the older memory of her hopeful and then shattered expression the day he asked for help on his date with Kagami. He saw that she bravely invested herself as his wingman even after her friends rallied to argue against the idea. She tried so hard to be there for Adrien only to wind up overwhelmed and confused. 

Felix sneering at her heartfelt, supportive confession made his blood boil. Still, she was the one who defend him to the others when they doubted him.

Luka was there for her. He supported her and encouraged her. 

Time went back to the day he set up the date for Ladybug on the roof. Marinette showed up to the group outing only to be disappointed that he wasn’t there. That combined with Andre’s well meaning prodding were too much and she walked away so dejectedly. He hadn’t known that even after that whole mess was over she still cried herself to sleep that night.

Insensitive eavesdroppers made fun of her love letter on the subway! 

She hadn’t meant to give the prescription to him. That made more sense. No wonder Plagg laughed hysterically at him.

Sandboy may not have been his fault...but Nightmare Adrien was now one of real Adrien’s biggest fears.

The cheek kiss on Heroes Day would now and forever more be seen in a new light.

It was a surprise to see how upset she was when Lila forced her way into Adrien’s house, but it made his heart clench and guilt assault him when he realized she had so few people to talk to regarding Lila that she had to rely on a kind firefighter to step in.

Marinette and Kagami worked through their differences and became friends despite the fact that they obviously both liked Adrien.

Finally it came to the moment Adrien began to wonder if he’d see. He, Kagami, and Marinette were having so much fun the day she helped them escape the Mayor’s anniversary party. In all honesty, they were having so much fun that Adrien forgot--if only for a moment--that Kagami saw him as more than a friend. The fun ended for Marinette the moment she was forced to choose the flavor of ice cream from Andre’s cart. He never understood the significance of that moment until he watched Marinette make the decision to step back and make room for Kagami and Adrien to be together. No wonder she made an excuse to leave as fast as she could. Adrien always knew she was one of his kindest friends, but he completely underestimated how self sacrificing she could be.

“Now I’ve found a real love you’ll never fool me again.

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart

But the very next day you gave it away

This year, to save me from tears

I’ll give it to someone special.”

She cried on Luka’s shoulder and Adrien watched as she tried to be happy for her friends and move on. Based on the scene he watched when Luka and Marinette hugged sadly and parted, he knew it hadn’t worked as well as she hoped.

It was jarring to have the song end and the light disappear. Adrien didn’t even realize he was still holding Marinette until she jerked away from him and ripped her hand out of his. She had both hands over her mouth and her face was blotchy and beet red, as were here eyes as she cried.

“Marinette--” Adrien reached out to her but Marinette turned around and bolted. “Marinette, wait!”

Adrien ran after Marinette but he was cut off by a swarm of sugarplum fairies flying in tempo to “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.” By the time they were passed him Marinette had already disappeared. “Marinette?!”

Plagg took the opportunity to pop out of his shirt. “Not that this hasn’t been educational and entertaining, but what about the akuma?” 

‘“Plagg, Marinette was crying!” Adrien said in distress, trying to figure out which direction she might have gone.

“What about your lady?” he asked.

“Plagg! Ladybug and the akuma are important but Marinette is hurting and needs me more right now! Ladybug will understand.” Adrien said, picking a direction and starting toward the bakery. 

“What do you even plan on saying?”

Adrien paused after Plagg asked him that. What would he say? 

“Plagg, what do I do?” Adrien asked him, seeming very lost.

“Are you going to reject her?” Plagg asked.

“I would never reject Marinette!” Adrien said, insulted.

“Fine, ‘let her down easy’ then?” Plagg did his best sarcastic air quotes.

“I…” Adrien trailed off.

“You don’t want to lead her on, do you?” Plagg asked

Adrien frowned. “Of course not!”

“What about Ladybug? You can’t use Marinette as a second choice.” Plagg said.

“Marinette isn’t  _ anyone’s _ second choice!” Adrien insisted.

“So do you like her back?” Plagg asked.

Adrien froze again. Did he like her back? What did he feel about all of this? He thought he was always content to have Marinette as his friend, but could she be more than that? Or was he reacting to seeing such an emotional reveal from a friend he cared greatly about? It didn’t work when he tried to move on from Ladybug and date Kagami, but what about Marinette? Could they have something real?

“Kid, take my advice.” Plagg said, in a rare show of seriousness. “She’s just had all her secrets--or at least a lot of them--” he mumbled “--laid bare in front of her crush. Give her some time to calm down after the embarrassment and give yourself time to figure out how you really want to handle this new information. In the meantime, we’ve an akuma to deck the halls with!”

Adrien sighed. “I know you’re right, but I hate just leaving Marinette alone like that when she’s upset.”

Adrien stared forlornly at the bakery. He broke out of his stupor when the bakery doors were flung open and Tom and Sabine were each waltzed out of their own shop in the arms of two human-sized gingerbread men cookies and dancing to the Carpenter's “The Christmas Waltz.”

“Plagg, Claws Out!”

Wham! "Last Christmas"

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwNV7TAWN3M>

Tchaikovsky "The Nutcracker-No. 7 The Battle"

<https://youtu.be/k_2r6p6ZLj4>

Pentatonix "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"

<https://youtu.be/jt3oAyK_IG8>

The Carpenter's "The Christmas Waltz"

<https://youtu.be/g7sYCoIqeqI>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
> 
> John 3:16  
> New International Version


	6. 2000 Decembers Ago

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took some liberty to theorize some loopholes of the Butterfly Miraculous…
> 
> Happy Hanukkah!

Cat Noir vaulted over rooftops that were now decked out in gingerbread and gumdrops. He took a moment to inspect its structural integrity but found it holding up well so he continued on.

Neither the news nor social media was giving him any clues about where to find Ladybug or Elfitude and Ladybug’s GPS signal was not activated. The only things people seemed to be posting about this akuma were fun, positive experiences. If anyone else was experiencing Naughty List kickback, like Lila had, they weren’t making it known. Elfitude seemed like one of Hawkmoths’s least effective akumas since she wasn’t even hunting him or Ladybug. It almost felt like she was hiding from them. No demands had been made since Elfitude’s first announcement and Cat Noir didn’t even know what she looked like--which could be a problem since there were multitudes of eccentric, Christmasy characters roaming about.

Cat Noir realized he’d entered another Elfitude Zone, as he was beginning to call them, without noticing. Bells were ringing, but at first he thought he was just hearing a church’s bells, then the music became louder. This time, just like when Markov was hit, his perspective didn’t change.

“Did it feel like a night any different

Then at least a million before?

Was there any rare expectation

Like there was some kind of somethin’ in store?

Did the sky have to hold back the thunder?

Did the moon find new reasons to glow?

Could the children somehow sense the wonder?

2000 Decembers ago.”

Cat Noir paused for a moment, hiding behind a dormer window. He was overcome with a warm, grand sensation filling his heart and rushing through him from his chest, to his head, and throughout his body. It was a good sense of expectation rather than the foreboding feeling he sometimes experienced with Plagg’s feline enhancements. A glance down at the street showed that others were pausing to appreciate the same wonder he was.

“Were the sheep as amazed as the shepherds

At the new star that lit up the sky?

Did the willow trees whisper excitement

To the rivers and streams passing by?

Did the joy ricochet off the mountains

Till it filled up the valleys below?

Did all the world sense love abounding?

2000 Decembers ago.”

Cat Noir kept moving, almost feeling like he was racing in time to the song as it followed him. He saw a flock of sheep and some very confused--yet modern--shepherds tending them; a very unusual sight in the Parisian streets. A beautiful Christmas Star was lighting up the sky and it was indeed drawing everyone’s attention, including the sheep. It was huge and brilliant and could be seen clearly, even daylight. It was obviously not in the actual sky, however, because Cat Noir noticed it hover beneath the level of magical clouds.

A breeze swept through winter bare tree branches and enthused energy and excitement in its wake. Cat Noir laughed as he ran and did a few tricks between buildings, buoyed with exuberant joy. He felt an all encompassing love surround him that he had lacked since his mother’s disappearance and even surpassed anything he ever remembered experiencing before that.

“Was anyone able to look at the stable

And not see a child but a King?

I wish I could hear back over the years

As heaven and nature sing!

Heaven and nature sing…”

  
  


************

  
  


“I’m sorry, Marinette.” Tikki nuzzled into Marinette’s cheek in comfort.

Marinette wiped the tears off her cheeks brusquely and shrunk in on herself even more. After escaping Adrien, she ran a couple blocks away before ducking down an alley and sinking down behind a trash bin to have a good cry. The akuma was laying heavy on her mind, but she gave herself one more moment to collect herself.

“Is this my punishment for not getting away sooner?” Marinette murmured. “Adrien’s going to hate me! Now that he knows, our friendship will be over! He probably thinks I’m creepy and will issue a restraining order and I’ll have to switch schools and since he’s an Agreste I’ll be blacklisted from the fashion industry and have to change my name and learn a different trade and the bakery will close down because I’ll have shamed the family name and we’ll all have to move to the country and wear fake mustaches--”

“Shh…” Tikki soothed, trying not to laugh at the mental image Marinette painted. “Adrien could never hate you and none of that is going to happen. As for the akuma; I told you earlier, I can feel the akuma having a positive effect on the city. The longer Elfitude is active it appears her powers are encouraging those affected to take time out and enjoy the simple pleasures and merrymaking around them. While I’m not as attuned to emotions as Nooroo is, I can still feel regular holiday stress levels are lowering and families, friends, and communities are experiencing an influx of goodwill. Even the negative energy Paris has accumulated, due to the prolonged trauma of corrupt Butterfly and Peacock holders, is depleting and becoming a healthier level.”

“But…this is still an akuma?” Marinette wondered. “Shouldn’t it still have a negative impact because of Hawkmoth’s control?”

Tikki smirked. “I think Hawkmoth’s messed up this time. The Butterfly’s intention is not to produce villains, but champions! Strong emotions, even negative ones, can still have positive, productive results when directed in the right way. Your friend Nino came close to accomplishing this when he wanted to throw Adrien a birthday party, because his ultimate goal was to make his friend happy. It seems to me that Hawkmoth might have finally found a target whose goals lined up so much with the Champion mind frame that the energy she is producing is counter productive to his goal.” Tikki giggled maliciously. “I’d bet he’s having trouble controlling this one! Nooroo loves a Champion with positive conviction! I’ll bet this akuma will undo a lot of the emotional damage Hawkmoth has done. It might even be a few weeks before he can find a target vulnerable enough to akumatize! The after effects of Elfitude might be so potent that it will give Parisians a boost of protection. While it lasts, people will be able to experience negativity but the energy will be tempered and harder for Hawkmoth to detect and prey on.”

Marinette was quiet and thoughtful as she considered what Tikki explained. Tikki was pleased because she could see her girl become analytical and pull out of her spiral.

“Okay. I don’t understand all of that at this moment, but I’m glad to learn it.” Marinette nodded. “If more Champions were recruited, do you think that would weaken Hawkmoth’s powers?”

“It might stymie Hawkmoth’s goal because his victims would not adhere to his mission and would unconsciously reverse the buildup of toxic magical energy, but it’s not likely to happen because its uncommon for a Champion to rise above the negative possession. Also, Hawkmoth has some control over who he sends his akumas after and will likely be more cautious about who he chooses after this experience.” Tikki answered.

Marinette nodded, still thoughtful. “I’d like us to talk more about this later, but for now it's time to find this Champion akuma. Positive or no, she can’t remain possessed forever.”

Tikki noticed Marinette wasn’t catastrophizing about Adrien any longer and her attention was completely refocused, though she couldn’t be sure Marinette wasn’t actively ignoring the Adrien subject.

“Tikki, Spots On!”

Ladybug also couldn’t find any clues about Elfitude’s location through the news or social media. Elfitude was trending, but everyone was just sharing their adventures and not any interaction with the akuma. Ladybug wondered if the akuma had been recalled by Hawkmoth but was pretty sure the wonderland would have disappeared if it had. 

She checked the Ladyblog, but as she suspected the last post was about the class playing in the park. Alya was probably still busy chasing down Lila.

Cat Noir’s tracker showed that he was moving at a steady clip across the city so Ladybug altered her course to intercept him.

“Did the walls of the barn start to tremble

With a glory they could not contain?

Did anyone wake with a feeling

Of peace that they could not explain?

Oh the love must have been overwhelming

As it warmed everyone in its flow!

For all of the earth is still telling

Of 2000 Decembers ago.”

Ladybug stopped short. Though there was no physical quake, she did feel as though the foundation beneath her and her very bones were trembling. The juxtaposition of feeling apprehensive and yet exuberantly awed settled on her heart, as if aware of a great presence. As she listened to the lyrics, she likened the feeling of peace that filled her as being similar to when she awoke relaxed from a pleasant dream but didn’t remember what it was about. The love crashed through her and cast out her fears and the lingering insecurities and embarrassment from the incident with Adrien. She felt energized and rejuvenated.

“Was anyone able to look at the stable 

And not see a child but a king?

I wish I could hear back over the years

As heaven and nature sing!

Heaven and nature sing...”

A living Nativity scene outside a church caught Ladybug’s eye. She recognized that this was not solely a product of the akuma because the church had advertised that they would be doing a volunteer display. Mylene and Ivan took part in it the previous weekend.

Now, the Nativity seemed to glow ethereally even without a physical light shining on it. Gazing upon the scene, the impression was left that the person was witnessing something of great importance that went beyond a poor, humble family celebrating a birth. It exuded joy of a long awaited arrival and the holy presence of something that had always existed but now willingly and purposefully came down from His home to fulfill a promise.

“Oh the love must have been overwhelming

2000 Decembers Ago.”

Ladybug stared after the Nativity scene but jumped back into her run, only to smack into Cat Noir. They both bashed their foreheads together before tumbling onto their backs on the roof.

Cat Noir groaned. “‘Up on the roof there arose such a clatter!’”

“You’re paraphrasing, Kitty, that’s not how it goes. Don’t drag Clement Moore into our lost dignity, Cat Noir!” Ladybug rubbed her face.

He raised his head from the roof to throw her a wide smile. “Merry Christmas, Bugaboo!”

Ladybug raised her head to look at him and then dropped it back down as she rolled her eyes. “Joyeux Noel, Kitty.”

  
  
  


Joy Williams "2000 Decembers Ago"

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W8K3OhxVSw>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come to His people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as He said through His holy prophets of long ago)[.]
> 
> Luke 1:68-70  
> New International Version


	7. Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer

“Elfitude could have  _ at least  _ left us a trail of Christmas cookie crumbs to follow!” Cat Noir quipped.

“You’re getting your elves mixed up with Hansel and Gretel!” Ladybug sassed back. “They have to be sneaky in order to get all their work done while you sleep!”

“Now you’re thinking of ‘The Elves and the Shoemaker,’ M’lady.” Cat Noir smirked. “Santa’s the one who stays up all night, working on Christmas Eve!”

They came to a stop within view of the Eiffel Tower, which was now a candy cane Eiffel Tower.

“Is it just me, or have you noticed more Christmasy stuff in some areas than in others?” Ladybug asked.

Cat Noir considered her observation. “I think you’re right. Maybe the wonderland becomes more concentrated the closer it is to the akuma?”

“It’s a good theory to start with at least.” Ladybug puffed at her bangs with a frustrated breath and could see the condensation in the air. There was still _ a lot _ of Christmas everywhere, so it would not be easy to narrow down the search area. “If we don’t start looking  _ somewhere _ we’ll be out her until the New Year!”   
  


“‘Courage, dear heart,’”Cat Noir posed dramatically. “‘Onward and Upward! To Narnia and the North!’”

Cat Noir pounced into a run and Ladybug stared dazedly after him, thinking of another boy she’d quoted  _ The Chronicles of Narnia _ with that day.

They were only combing through the city for a few moments when the sounds of a loud argument reached them and they instantly altered their route to investigate. The akuma seemed more peaceful, especially after Tikki’s observation, but they knew better than to take that for granted. Regarding akumas, where there was turmoil, an akuma was likely nearby.

To their surprise, when they skid to a halt on a rooftop they did  _ not _ find an elf-tastic victim of Hawkmoth on the street below. They found Rolland and Gina Dupain in a heated argument with the object of their discord beside them: a pink moped.

Gina was proudly defending the Christmas gift she bought for her sweet ‘Marinette-a’ while Rolland was countering her with safety statistics.

Ladybug and Cat Noir shared a look, wondering if they should intervene. Cat Noir plucked a sugar cookie that was flying by in a magic, cookie parade and they sat down a moment to assess.

“You did this very same thing with Thomas!” Rolland blustered.

Gina scowled at Roland. “That was a freak accident and we agreed to never speak of it!”

“Nineteen stitches, Gina! Nineteen stitches and the biggest cast I’ve seen in my life!” Rolland threw his hands up in the air.

Cat Noir paled as he thought of all the times he’d seen Marinette trip or run into things in just the past week. An unwelcome image flashed before his eyes of tiny, sweet Marinette in a pink, full-body cast.

Meanwhile, Ladybug was trying to bite down a huge grin. Her mind was suddenly swimming with ideas for designs that would complement a pink moped! She wondered how fast she could get the moped up to...were nitrogen boosters legal?

“Wha--Gina, behind you!” Rolland exclaimed.

The argument was cut off as Gina got hit by one of the auroras. She looked around, momentarily confused as nothing happened. Ladybug and Cat Noir tensed on their perch.

A twangy musical introduction began.

“Oh, now what is it?!” Rolland clutched his head.

Gina looked up and her jumped. She slammed into Rolland and took them both to the ground. “Duck!”

Santa’s sleigh and all eight reindeer came careening down from the sky and buzzed just over where Gina and Rolland had been a moment before.

“Grandma got run over by a reindeer

Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve.

You can say there’s no such thing as Santa, 

But as for me and Grandpa we believe.”

Ladybug and Cat Noir yelped as they watched the sleigh fly haphazardly around the neighborhood.

“Duck nothing, that’s a reindeer!” Cat Noir yelled.

Gina leapt to her feet and glared after the sleigh in an angry expression that was very similar to Marinette’s. She shook her fist and started yelling in Italian before switching back to French.

“Come back and face me, you glorified Bambies!” Gina shouted.

“Gina, please don’t yell at the angry reindeer.” Rolland said tiredly.

“She’d been drinking too much eggnog

And we begged her not to go!

But she forgot her medication

And she staggered out the door into the snow.”

The pink moped started to shimmer and suddenly it turned into the flying motorcycle Befana used when Gina was akumatized.

“I’m starting to get concerns.” Cat Noir said.

“So am I, but  _ never _ get between that woman and her bike! Trust me.” Ladybug answered, not taking her eyes off the couple as Rolland staggered to his feet and Gina eagerly pulled on a helmet.

“Now the goose is on the table.

And the pudding made of fig.

And the blue and silver candles 

That would just have matched the hair on Grandma’s wig.

I’ve warned all my friends and neighbors

Better watch out for yourselves!

They should never give a license 

To a man who drives a sleigh

And plays with elves!”

“Oh, this is bad!” Cat Noir fretted.

Gina jumped onto the flying motorcycle despite Rolland’s protests and appeals to her sanity. She revved the engine and smiled dangerously before spinning the motorcycle into the sky with no regard for her own safety.

“Eat Grandma’s dust, reindeer!” Gina shouted.

The motorcycle quickly gained altitude and was in quick pursuit of the sleigh. 

“Sing it, Grandpa!

Grandma got run over by a reindeer,

Walking home from our house Christmas Eve.

You can say there’s no such thing as Santa,

But as for me and Grandpa we believe.” 

Rolland called after Gina as she flew off, leaving Ladybug and Cat Noir stunned with their jaws hanging limp. They thought the song was over until a male voice said one last thing in a deep tone.

“Merry Christmas!” The low, Southern-United States accident boomed.

Rolland called out one more time but Gina wouldn’t listen to him, hands up in the air while she shouted out in excitement. Rolland just threw his hands in the air, admit defeat, and walked away.

Cat Noir blinked once, twice.

“That was weird, right?” he asked.

“Very.” Ladybug said shortly.

“Shouldn’t we go help her?” Cat got ready to jump out onto the sleigh.

Gina Sped past them, hot in pursuit.

“Meh. I think she’s got this handled.” Ladybug shrugged

Cat Noir was about to argue when he watched Gina get sidle up to the lead reindeer and then jump on its on back.

“Yep. She’s good.” Cat Noir nodded. “Poor Dasher.”

Gina’s delighted whoops could be heard echoing throughout the streets.

Ladybug shook her head. “Like I said, don’t ever get between that woman and her bike.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Note:

“Courage, dear heart[.]” is a quote from C.S. Lewis’  _ The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. _

And 

“Onward and Upward! To Narnia and the North!” is from C.S. Lewis’ _ The Horse and His Boy _ .

Also, I looked it up and (if Google is correct) a fourteen-year-old can drive a moped in France.

Elmo & Patsy "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"

Abridged Cartoon Version:

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRaLMcnrgDs>

Full Version:

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgIwLeASnkw>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”
> 
> Isaiah 40:9  
> New International Version


	8. Even When He Is Silent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: “Even When He is Silent is not a fluff song. I was in a choir that sang it for a Christmas concert a few years ago and felt daunted by trying to do justice to it here, but I felt it was important to include. My research (and keep in mind that I am a HORRIBLE researcher) showed that there is some controversy over the exact origin, but most agree that the poem this song is based on was written by a Holocaust victim and discovered written on a wall at the end of the war. 
> 
> I’m including this as a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust as well as for the message of belief through adversity and truly horrible times. Often it is easy to doubt or wonder about “unanswered” prayers when terrible things happen or something does not go the way it is hoped it would. This world is not perfect and truly awful things happen, but this song reminds me of God’s presence throughout the sorrow. The silence does not mean God doesn’t care or doesn’t exist.
> 
> Also, for this particular song I thought writing the lyrics as they’re sung wouldn’t be very readable in this instance, so I’ve written them in the style of the poem instead.

Ladybug scowled as she slowly scanned the city around her. She and Cat Noir had been searching for an hour and were still no closer to locating the akuma. They thought they were getting close to the epicenter, but then the wonderland started to become less concentrated and they figured that Elfitude most likely relocated. It was getting to the point that she was close to tracking down Alya and asking her to use her innate akuma tracking prowess and lack of self preservation to find Elfitude. Though Ladybug was sure she would regret it.

Cat Noir’s sudden snort caught her attention. Ladybug turned to him with a questioning expression. He was clearly trying to bite back a laugh as he pointed down the street. 

Santa Claus was running down the street with a tiny little girl chasing after him and brandishing a lasso. Cat Noir’s enhanced hearing must have picked up the music before she could hear it, because it wasn’t until a moment later that she heard Brenda Lee’s “I’m Gonna Lasso Santa Claus” following the pair. 

“I’m gonna lasso Santa Claus

And the reason is because

I know a boy and girl he never goes see

He never brings ‘em toys like he does for me!”

The song continued on, joyfully explaining how the tyke was going to capture Santa, pull his bead, and tickle him then steal his presents to give to all the children that don’t have any toys. Poor Santa seemed to be trying to talk the girl out of her kidnapping plot.

“I guess this is why Santa’s sleigh was driverless.” Ladybug observed. After they bore witness to Gina commandeering the sleigh and calming the reindeer, it was discovered Santa was not at the reigns.

“Should we be concerned?” Cat Noir asked.

Just then, Santa caught their gaze and gave a comforting wink.

“Eh...she’s not the akuma...I think. Santa seems to have it under control.” Ladybug made a mental note to check on the progress of the toy drive they sponsored. “Probably.”

Cat Noir led the way to Notre Dame where they scaled the Cathedral to utilize the view at the top of the bell tower. He was so startled when the bells unexpectedly tolled that he yelped and jumped into Ladybug’s arms.

“Kitty!” Ladybug tottered under the unexpected weight. “You are  _ not _ the size of an actual kitten, Cat Noir!”

“Sorry!” he winced as he hopped onto his own feet again. “It was just really loud…”

“I heard the bells on Christmas Day…”

Casting Crown’s version of “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” rang out over the crowds of people that were still sledding on the hill that appeared earlier. Rose noticed them first and soon had most of the kids waving to them. Ladybug and Cat Noir waved back before returning to their visual sweep of the city.

“Then rang the bells more loud and deep

God is not dead, nor does He sleep (peace on earth, peace on earth).”

Ladybug nudged Cat Noir and gestured over her shoulder. “Let’s head over the river?”

“Sounds good.” Cat Noir nodded.

They leapt over the Seine and began combing the area. They asked a few civilians if they’d noticed anything and kept mental notations of the wonderland concentration.’’

Ladybug was about to suggest they try another arrondissement when, mid swing, her yoyo failed and dropped her to the street in a heap. Cat Noir took a similar tumble and landed beside her. 

They leapt up, ready for battle, but quickly recoiled and drew close together, back to back.

Ghostly remberences ambled through the area. Terrible, gruesome battles and plagues from ancient eras and more contemporary horrors. Ladybug’s gaze trailed the image of terrified children running away from unseen pursuers. Their image disappeared but Ladybug recognized where they were.

“We’re at the Memorial de la Shoah.” Cat Noir whispered, confirming her thoughts. “The Holocaust Muesum.”

“I believe in the sun, even when it’s not shining.”

Shadow seemed to engulf Ladybug and Cat Noir and they grabbed onto each other's hands, still back to back and wary. Sounds of misery assailed them and Cat Noir shifted anxiously, ears flat against his head. Bullets rained down from the sky like hail and Cat lunged around for Ladybug a second before she did the same to him. They held each other even after they realized the bullets did them no harm.

“I believe in love, even when I feel it not.”

Overwhelming despair coursed through them. Mourning, betrayal, isolation, fear, devastation. Empathy enabled them to feel the pain of a people persecuted and hunted. Sorrows of war churning populations and agonies of famine. The terrible loss of families decimated. A vacuum devoid of joy and love and hope.

“I believe in God, even when He is silent.”

Dizzying horror spun around them like a tornado, dissonant against the full sound of a choir singing. Ladybug and Cat Noir shut their eyes to the images but could not escape the sounds and the torrent of physical and emotional pain. Through it all, a warmth surrounded their hearts like a budding flower of hope and steadfast faith. The pain was still there, but it was not alone.

Everything stopped. Ladybug and Cat Noir jolted apart, unnerved by the sudden silence. They were the only ones on the street and the remembrances were gone. Ladybug took a few shaky breaths, slowly turning around in a circle and watching as though wary that something else would appear. Cat tried to physically shake himself to stop his trembling and wiped the tears that gathered beneath his eyes.

They both reached for each other's hands and gave a reassuring squeeze before jumping away and back to their search.

Notes:

I found my information about the Memorial de la Shoah through a google search. I chose this specific memorial due to its location to Notre Dame and after I looked up its proximity on a map and saw that Ladybug and Cat Noir could easily transition from one location to the other. If I’m wrong, I apologize. 

Kim Andre Arnesen “Even When He Is Silent” (Performed by National Lutheran Choir)

<https://youtu.be/ZPqczvHpahs>

Brenda Lee “I’m Gonna Lasso Santa Claus”

<https://youtu.be/JUoPfewzCsg>

Casting Crowns “I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day”

<https://youtu.be/M7670CXvPX0>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  
> John 1:5  
> New International Version


	9. One More Sleep

Ladybug rubbed circles on Cat Noir’s back as they walked out of the news building and sipped on cups of hot chocolate. “Better?”

“A bit.” Cat Noir said, still shaking slightly from their experience near the Memorial de la Shoah. “You?”

“For now,” she said with a soft smile.

They stopped by to talk with Nadja Chamack after they’d checked in with the police and found out there’d been no reports of the akuma’s location. Nadja was doing family friendly reports, with her daughter guest anchoring with her, and they interviewed many people affected by Elfitude. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any reports of recent Elifitude locations. 

Nadja offered them the warm drinks and showed them the few images of Elfitude that had been sent to the station. They now knew that Elfitude was wearing a red and green color-blocked elf dress with candy cane stripped leggings and matching elf shoes and a hat. She definitely had exaggerated, pointy elf ears and her mask was made up of red, green, silver, and gold glitter.

A food vendor waved happily to them. His cart had been hit by the aurora and since then he’d been wearing victorian clothing in warm colors--looking straight out of  _ A Christmas Carol _ . Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song” played softly in the air.

Cat Noir nodded. “Okay. Let’s jingle bell rock this!”

A few minutes later, Cat Noir signaled Ladybug and slowed down so they could examine a crowd gathered at a bus stop. There didn’t seem to be a problem, but they jumped down to check anyway.

“Excuse us,” Ladybug asked one man, “is there a reason you’ve all gathered?”

The man smiled. “We’re here to welcome home our family members in the military. A bus is set to drop them off here.”

Cat Noir grinned. “In that case, thank you all for your--”

He was cut off as one of the auroras hit the group and music began.

Someone groaned in the crowd. “Not again!”

“One more time!” Someone else cheered excitedly.

A woman in the crowd began singing--quite nicely, in Cat Noir’s opinion--along with the music. She looked slightly embarrassed, but it seemed like this wasn’t the first time this had happened to the group and they were all used to it.

“Snow is falling all around us,

My baby’s coming home for Christmas.

I’ve been up all night inside my bedroom.

He said he’ll be with me real soon.”

Someone else in the crowd picked up the song from there.

“So I wait,

And I wait,

But I’ve had as much as I can take!”

Ladybug and Cat Noir flinched slightly when the entire group of people--mothers, fathers, siblings, significant others, friends, and children--joined in the song...all alternating to supply the more appropriate parts of the lyrics according to their relationship.

“‘Cause I’ve got five more nights of sleeping on my own,

Four more days until you’re coming home,

Three more dreams of you and mistletoe,

Two more reasons why I love you so!

I’ve got five more nights until you’re next to me,

Four more days of being lonely,

Three more wishes I can barely breathe,

If I can make it to Christmas Eve then it’s 

One more sleep!”

A father sang out in a booming voice, “One more sleep until it’s Christmas!”

And the crowd responded with, “One more sleep until it’s Christmas...”

An adorable brother and sister that made Ladybug coo sang, “Can’t believe how much I missed us!”

“One more sleep...”

  
  


One of the wives sang, “One more sleep until it’s Christmas!”

“One more sleep…” the others echoed again.

This time one of the husbands sang out:

“Now I don’t think I can remember

A cold and lonelier December.

And I find myself sing at the window,

Wondering when you’re gonna get back home.”

A tiny elderly granny piped in: 

“So I try,

And I try,

But there is nothing I can do to pass this time!”

Just as before, the group sang together but with even more gusto.

“I’ve got five more nights of sleeping on my own,

Four more days until you’re coming home,

Three more dreams of you and mistletoe,

Two more reasons why I love you so!

I’ve got five more nights until you’re next to me,

Four more days of being lonely,

Three more wishes I can barely breathe,

If I can make it to Christmas Eve then it’s

One more sleep!”

They kept popcorning the song until everyone felt the anticipation in the air grow even more intense.

“Five more nights on my own,

Four more days,

Three more dreams…

Mistletoe…

I can’t believe I ever let you go!”

Cheers erupted as a bus rounded the corner down the street and everyone sang a little louder, counting down.

“Five more nights of sleeping on my own,

Four more days until you’re coming home,

Three more wishes I can barely breathe,

If I can make it to Christmas Eve then it’s one more sleep!

It’ll be one more, 

It’ll be one more (one more sleep)!

It’ll be one more (one more sleep)!

One more sleep!”

The first returning soldiers stepped off the bus and the cheers grew deafening as loved ones started to swarm.

Ladybug and Cat Noir shared a smile and applauded--not that anyone noticed--before jumping away and leaving them to their happy reunion.

  
  
  
  
  
  
Note:

I believe I took “let’s jingle bell rock this” from one of  _ Disney’s Prep and Landing _ movies? I kinda loved the saying and now I routinely slip it into conversation.

Special thank you to service members, wherever you are, and their families! 

Leona Lewis “One More Sleep”

<https://youtu.be/j-_1-uJ6Ml4>

Nat King Cole “The Christmas Song”

<https://youtu.be/hwacxSnc4tI>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers[.]  
> Philemon 4:4


	10. A Strange Way To Save The World

Cat Noir slumped next to Ladybug on the roof. “Vanisher was easier to find--and she was invisible!”

Ladybug grunted a response as she started to check off locations on her fingers. “Okay, let’s review. Montparnasse was a bust, the Grand Palais was turned into something out of the Nutcracker but no one had seen Elfitude, Jean-something--”

“Actually, his name is Constantine.” Cat Noir supplied.

Ladybug gave him an incredulous look. “You’re kidding?!”

“Nope. Chloe just never remembers or she purposely forgets--just like her mom. Actually, at this point I’d be surprised if she actually  _ did _ remember what his actual name was.” Cat chortled.

“How do you know that?” Ladybug asked.

“I’m a sneaky kitty. I have my ways.” Cat Noir winked.

Ladybug rolled her eyes. “ _ Anyway _ , Constantine was kind enough to tell us he’d seen Elfitude this morning but she left after burying the hotel in tinsel.”

“It was nice of him to tell us that while Chloe pelted us with snow balls.” Cat Noir nodded.

“Nice to know she’s not bitter. I’m pretty sure there was a rock in the one she hit me with…” Ladybug grumbled. “We can discount all the outer arrondissements and most of the inner ones because of the low concentration of the wonderland, and the Eiffel Tower employees reported that Elfitude hasn’t made an appearance there at all.”   
  


“That might have been my favorite stop of all!” Cat Noir licked his lips.

“I still can’t believe you licked the Eiffel Tower.” Ladybug shook her head.

“It was a giant candy cane!” he protested.

“It’s still the Eiffel Tower!” Ladybug exclaimed.

“You don’t know what you’re missing. Here, try this peppermint bark.” he said and handed her the treat.

“Where did you get this?” Ladybug asked.

“One of those trees we passed a block back.” he said.

“Cat!”

“What? It’s good!” he said, breaking off a piece for himself. 

“If that reverts back to actual bark after I use the cure and you get splinters in your stomach do  _ not _ come complaining to me!” Ladybug scowled.

They both knew if he got sick she would be the first to coddle him. She wouldn’t give him grief until  _ after _ he was feeling better.

Cat Noir shrugged and tossed the last piece of candy into his mouth. “Should we head south?”

Ladybug nodded and they got back to there feet and went on their way.

Cat Noir smiled as they came across a private Jewish elementary school. There were still children playing happily on the playground, excitedly spinning giant dreidels. 

“Hey maybe we should ask--” he started.

“Cat Noir, I know you just want to play the game with them.” Ladybug interrupted. 

“Maybe, but they still might have seen something!” Cat Noir insisted.

Which is how Cat Noir came to play with the children while Ladybug questioned the parents if they’d seen the akuma. No one had seen Elfitude--again--but a teacher that was still on hand shared a picture of the akuma her sister sent her within the last half hour. Ladybug thanked her before she and Cat Noir took off in the direction the sister had taken the photo.

Barely a few blocks later, Ladybug and Cat Noir stumbled into another Elfitude Zone. At first they weren’t sure what they were facing as they were surrounded by images of superheroes, famous historical figures, and non-super powered heroes like soldiers, firefighters, police officers, doctors, nurses, and other civil servants. They even faced their own images.

“And...expect a song in three, two…” Cat Noir counted down.

Piano and strings began to play and Cat Noir looked pleased with himself.

“I’m sure he must have been surprised

At where this road had taken him.

Cause never in a million lives 

Would he have dreamed of Bethlehem.

And standing at the manger

He saw with his own eyes,

The message from the angel come to life.”

The images danced before Ladybug and Cat Noir as well as other civilians caught in the Elfitude Zone. Ladybug realized all the figures were of recognizable heroes--people that were easily identified or remembered as people that did great good. Some were political figures with grand legacies and gilt appearances.

Walking through the images came the figure of a humble man from ancient times. He didn’t interact with any of the other images or the people but he was obviously part of the story the song told.

“And Joseph said,

Why me, I’m just a simple man of trade?”

The man looked behind himself and gazed at a small boy, growing before their eyes into a humble man. He did not wear the rich clothing of the other famed leaders and had a presence of someone that at once both fulfilled and denied convention.

“Why him, with all the rulers in the world?”

A cold, rustic shelter came into view. It was an ancient stable, housed in a cave and filled with livestock and a young family. It wasn’t a comfortable place to come into the world, but the young mother held her son tenderly.

“Why here, inside this stable filled with hay?”

The young mother came into focus, brave even in the face of hardship.

“Why her, she’s just an ordinary girl?”

The man took the babe into his arms and sat next to the mother.

“Now I’m not one to second guess

What angels have to say…

But this is such a strange way to save the world.”

Other scenes appeared. A town overcrowded to accommodate a Roman census and a field of shepherds and their flocks appeared side by side. Angels appeared in great wonder before the terrified shepherds. But quickly those scenes dissolved and were left with empty fields. The stable was replaced with a great palace, far more comfortable and with great fanfare.

“To think of how it could have been,

If Jesus had come as He deserved…

There would have been no Bethlehem,

No lowly shepherds at His birth.

But Joseph knew the reason

Love had to reach so far,

And as he held the Savior in his arms…”

The scene changed again. Gone was the palace and the wealth. People of all ranks were astonished by the child. Shepherds came to him and went on to tell of what they had been told. Kings came from afar with gifts to humble themselves before the young boy. The family did not have an easy life, luxury was not something afforded to them.

“He must have thought,

Why me, I’m just a simple man of trade?

Why Him, with all the rulers in the world?”

They boy grew up to teach with authority on the Word of His Heavenly Father. He healed the sick, raised the dead, walked on the water. He embraced the outcasts and the untouchables. He only asked for repentance and for His people to turn to God.

“Why here, inside this stable filled with hay?

Why her, she’s just an ordinary girl?”

The young woman from the stable appeared again, an angel delivering news before her. She grew older, raising her son and watching His mission and coming before a cross. 

An empty tomb was shone. Apostles appeared before the resurrected Jesus.

“Now I’m not one to second guess

What angels have to say…

But this is such a strange way to save the world.

Such a strange way…

To save the world.”

  
  


************

  
  


Gabriel Agreste held his head in his hands and tried to block out the sound of the music blaring through the mansion. He was desperately searching through the grimoire for a solution for this blasted akuma…

“This isn’t even a Christmas song!” he exclaimed, completely unhinged by the song that had been playing loudly over and over again for hours.

“And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon

Little boy blue and the man on the moon

‘When you coming home, Dad?’

I don’t know when

But we’ll get together then

You know we’ll have a good time then…”

He was loath to recall the akuma, but Gabriel was being driven out of his mind. He couldn’t understand why this song would be plaguing his house. Nathalie was tearing apart the office junk drawer, looking for earplugs left over from when Adrien was first beginning his piano lessons.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Note: Thank you to commenter MaurLin who gave the idea of Gabe going through a Grinch transformation. You gave me the idea to throw in this little message for him and Nathalie! :)

  
  
  
  


4Him “Strange Way to Save the World”

<https://youtu.be/iKYfzax-sNk>

Harry Chapin “Cat’s In The Cradle”

<https://youtu.be/7OqwKfgLaeA>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
> 
> All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
> 
> When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.  
> Matthew 1:20-24  
> New International Version


	11. Where’s the Line to Hasten to His Throne

“Above you!” Cat Noir called out.

Ladybug and Cat Noir both dove down, flat against the rooftop, to avoid a flying Snoopy swooping down above them. The cartoon pup was flying on his red dog house and was in an old fashioned dog fight with the Red Baron while the Royal Guardsmen’s “Snoopy’s Christmas” played after them.

Ladybug watched, bug eyed, as the duo flew away. Cat Noir grinned impishly at her.

“How much would you judge me if I said this was my favorite akuma yet?” he asked.

“I kinda figured that out when you kept eating the scenery.” Ladybug smirked. “I am shocked, though, that this beats _two_ Ladybugs!”

“Ah!” Cat Noir said dramatically. “Though two of you would be a dream, M’lady, one of you is wonderful on your own!”

Ladybug snorted. “Come on, tomcat! We’ve got a rogue elf to catch!”

Cat Noir jumped down to the street to help a couple of kids to cross the street with their grandfather. Just as they got to the other side, right next to a long line waiting for a picture with Santa Claus, the kids got hit with the aurora.

The little boy looked around before tugging on Cat Noir’s tail.

“Where’s the line to see Jesus?

Is he here at the store?

If Christmas time is his birthday, 

Then why don’t we see him more?

Both kids sang together.

Where’s the line to see Jesus?  
He was born for me.

Santa Claus brought me presents

But Christ gave his life for me.”

Cat Noir smiled and waved as the merry group went on their way. 

  
  


************

Ladybug was jostled between overly eager, reuniting members of a _large_ family. She counted five people in the elderly range, eight older adults, twelve to fifteen adults, and _twenty_ children!

All she’d done was stop to help a young adult girl who was struggling with a suitcase and had her arms full with a bag of presents. No sooner had Ladybug offered to help her, then the girl get struck with an aurora and a flood of relatives poured out of the apartment complex.

The girl started singing a Dolly Parton song. She looked a bit bewildered and Ladybug realized she must have been out of Paris for a while and not used to the akumas. She must have had some knowledge though, because she went along with it and soon her family was all singing with her.

“I’ll be home with bells on!

I’ll be home with bells on!

Trim the tree and wrap the presents, turn the Christmas music on,

This Christmas I’ll be home with bells on.

I’ve traveled around this country crossed the waters deep and wide,

Made lots of friends and memories, brought joy to others' lives.

It’s Christmas time again, another year has come and gone,

And I can’t keep from wonderin’ how the old folks are at home!”

Ladybug got a few hugs herself as she worked her way out of the crowd and jumped back up to meet with Cat Noir. They exchanged a laugh and carried on.

As they started running, piano music kept pace with them. Whitney Houston and a full choir accompanied as they raced from rooftops, to sidewalks, to swinging and vaulting over the city.

“Joy, Joy, Joy to the world!

Let earth (let earth)

Receive (receive) her King!”

Ladybug and Cat Noir criss-crossed in front of each other and jumped in time to the music, feeling enthused by the song.

“Let fields and floods,

Rocks, hills, and plains

Repeat the sounding joy (repeat the sounding joy)

Repeat the sounding joy (repeat the sounding joy)

Go tell it, His glory!

Shout the new story (go shout the new story)!

The Savior is born!

Let Heaven (Heaven), Heaven (Heaven), 

Heaven and nature sing!

Sing joy to the world!”

“We must be getting closer!” Cat Noir shouted. “We’re encountering more songs faster than before.”

Ladybug agreed. “The Elfitude Concentration is definitely increasing! Let’s hope she doesn’t move again!”

They were brought up short when an aurora zoomed past them and hit an Angel tree topper on a giant, decorated Christmas tree in the center of a neighborhood.

“Please don’t be like Puppeteer…” Ladybug winced.

The angel shook herself and smiled down at the crowds who were watching with dropped jaws.

“I love the, the Lord!

He heard my cry

And pitied every groan.”

Cat Noir and Ladybug exchanged wide glances.

“Long as I, I live

And troubles rise

I’ll hasten to his throne.”

Civilians on the street were filming the singing angel with a voice as soft and powerful as Whitney Houston.

“Oh I love the Lord! 

I sure do, surely do love the Lord!

He heard my cry!

And pitied every groan, yes he did!”

“Long as I live, long as I, I live!

And troubles rise, troubles rise

I’ll hasten, I’ll hasten to his throne!”

The angel continued to sing and once Ladybug and Cat Noir were sure the akuma would do nothing further, they kept searching.

Cat Noir suddenly recoiled and scrunched his face in disgust. “Uhg! What is that smell?!”

Ladybug stopped, perplexed since she didn’t smell anything. She looked around while Cat Noir held his hand over his nose.

There were a group from a Scandinavian club mingling around below them, dishing out some sort of fish dish.

Cat Noir whimpered and edged closer to Ladybug.

“O Lutefisk, O Lutefisk, how fragrant your aroma!

O Lutefisk, O Lutefisk, you put me in a coma.

You smell so strong, you look like glue,

You taste just like an overshoe,

But Lutefisk, come Christmas Day,

I ‘tink I eat you any’vay!”

The group sang lively to the tune of “O Christmas Tree” and seemed to be enjoying themselves as they ate the pale fish and smothered it in butter.

“Under no circumstances are we to _ever_ tell Plagg about this... _Lutefisk_!” Cat Noir said it as though the word was vulgar. “He must never know this is in existence!”

“Don’t want to carry a fish around for your kwamii, do you?” Ladybug teased.

“I never thought I’d see the day when I found a food I was grateful Plagg didn’t like over camembert cheese. Please, please promise me you won’t tell him!” he begged.

Ladybug shrugged. “Whatever you say. I actually think it looks kinda good…”  
  


Cat Noir shuddered.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Note:

The Whitney Houston songs come from _The Preacher’s Wife_ which was one of my favorite Christmas movies growing up. The Lutefisk song is another nod to my heritage--and yes I have sung it on Christmas before. I think I know more verses to “O Lutefisk” than I do to “O Christmas Tree.” I’ve never had lutefisk, but I’ve heard you either love it or hate it. My parents grew up with it and couldn’t stand it, so that tradition died. I still have a morbid curiosity to try it someday.

  
  


  
  


Becky Kelly “Where’s the Line to See Jesus”

<https://youtu.be/OExXItDyWEY>

Whitney Houston “I Love the Lord”

<https://youtu.be/mW3up6Sr65U>

Whitney Houston “Joy to the World”

<https://youtu.be/Qo8mfun0SMU>

The Royal Guardsmen “Snoopy’s Christmas”

<https://youtu.be/dJfFA-D4SSQ>

Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers "I'll Be Home With Bells On"

<https://youtu.be/HDVcpTO2RHA>

Red Stangland and Terry R. Shaw “O Lutefisk”

<https://youtu.be/LQAZ4IKcncw>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  
> Philippians 4:4  
> New International Version


	12. The Twelve Days of Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas!

“I take it back! This isn’t my favorite akuma!” Cat Noir yelped as he dodged a hula hoop sized, solid gold ring falling from the sky.

A half hour ago an aurora spread over the entire city. Ladybug and Cat Noir were trying to race to the epicenter of where the aurora originated but they were constantly distracted by the obstacles produced every few minutes when a new verse from “The Twelve Days of Christmas” played over the city.

So far, they’d checked on twelve drummers from various rock groups--Ladybug recognized the drummer from Jagged Stone’s band. They all just gathered in front of the Eiffel Tower and started a jam session. Very soon, eleven musicians from The Blue Man Group and joined them, playing on pipes. Next, they’d explained what was going on to ten members of the The Lord of the Dance, nine dancers from the Radio City Rockettes, and eight dairy farmers.

They rushed to help seven ballet dancers from a production of  _ Swan Lake _ after they were unceremoniously dropped in the Seine River. The Couffaines beat them to it, and by the time they reached the river Luka and Juleka were helping the last ‘swan-a-swimming’ aboard  _ The Liberty _ while Anarka was loudly offering them food and drink and singing a Wassail song. They were fairly certain she hadn’t even been hit by one of Elfitude’s auroras. Luka spotted them and gave a nod to let them know they had things in hand, so Ladybug and Cat Noir restarted their race to Elfitude.

Officer Raincomprix was rather put out when six geese settled down to nest in the middle of a busy street. He, and several other civilians, had to urge them over to the sidewalk.

Thankfully the huge, golden rings didn’t land on anyone. As it was, they left craters in the pavement where they landed.

Ladybug and Cat Noir stopped to catch their breath after they dodged the final ring.

“I know people give this song a hard time,” Ladybug gasped, “but I’ve never hated it until this moment!”

A flash of light appeared before them.

“What now?!” Cat Noir grumbled pitifully. Ladybug looked utterly exhausted.

Four squabbling young men materialized before them and Ladybug and Cat Noir started with wide eyes.

“Did the akuma just...send us help?” Ladybug asked hesitantly.

Cat Noir started to buzz in excitement. “The akuma just sent us  _ four of Gotham’s Robins _ ! Four calling birds!”

The boys were locked in a heated argument. Nightwing was trying to pull Robin off of Red Robin. Robin was scowling as he held Red Robin in a headlock. In return, Red Robin was twisting Robin’s nose and trying to twist one of his arms. Red Hood had one arm around Red Robin and one around Robin as he tried to separate them. They were all yelling at each other and several threats were made before they all suddenly froze.

Nightwing let go of Robin and he dropped to the street. They all looked shocked as they stared at the candy-coated dreamscape Paris had been turned into.

“What in the Kris Kringle is going on!” Red Hood exclaimed.

“Fever Dream.” Nightwing said simply. “We’re having a fever dream. I knew we should never have let Star cook…”

Red Robin shook his head. “Mass hallucinations. Got to be.”

Robin scowled. “When did we last encounter Scarecrow?”

“Um…” Ladybug waved awkwardly while Cat Noir tried to act cool. “Hi! There’s no need to worry! You’re not sick or having a hallucination, you’ve just been caught up in an akuma attack. You’re in Paris, I am Ladybug and this is my partner Cat Noir. We’re wielders from the Order of the Miraculous and we’re battling Hawkmoth--who is abusing the Butterfly Miraculous.”

The four brothers, as they found out, began peppering them with questions. Robin--who seemed a little younger than them and Cat Noir had to resist an urge to ruffle his hair and call him sport, which was likely very dangerous urge--scoffed at what they said at times and said it sounded ridiculous, but then another of of them would point out a gaggle of gingerbread cookies running down the street and he kept the rest of his comment to himself.

They were still confused and arguing amongst themselves when Nightwing waved for quiet as he listened to his earpiece.

“Agent A says to go with and the Cat and Bug and he’ll explain to us later.”

Ladybug and Cat Noir exchanged surprised looks. 

“How is this Agent A going to explain things?” Ladybug asked.

Robin glowered at them. “Agent A knows everything.” he sounded personally offended. “Never doubt him.”

“Okay…” Ladybug said awkwardly.

“So.” Red Hood said as he readied a couple of guns. “What do you need us to do?”

Ladybug and Cat Noir’s eyes both popped wide at the sight of the weapon. 

“Whoa!” Cat Noir waved his arms to stop Red Hood. “No guns! akuma is a victim of Hawkmoth, we don’t want to actually hurt it.”

Though they couldn’t see it, it felt as though Red Hood was rolling his eyes at them. “Fine…”

Another flash of light came from above and they all tensed. When the light vanished, three chickens landed in Cat Noir’s arms.

“Huh.” Ladybug commented. “That’s one of the few straightforward ones we’ve had.”

Cat Noir immediately started sneezing and the chickens flew out of his arms. Somehow, they all ended up in Robin’s arms, who held them protectively.

The three older brothers all stared at Robin in mortified alarm. 

“You are  _ not  _ keeping those!” Red Robin declared. “Do  _ not  _ get attached.”

“That’s not really how my Ladybug Cure works,” Ladybug tried to explain. They’ll be returned to where the are supposed to be…”

“If they are returned to where they are supposed to be then they will remain with me.” Robin said defiantly.

The other boys groaned. 

“Little Birdy--” Nightwing started.

“Listen, Brat--” Red Hood said over him.

Robin interrupted them both. “Their names are Grayson, Todd, and Drake.”

That made them all pause, though it confused Ladybug and Cat Noir.

Red Robin glared Robin down. “That’s emotional manipulation and it won’t work!”

Nightwing sniffled and wiped tears out from under his mask. “It’s working a little!”

Just then, Mr. Ramier went dodging through the street with a woman close behind him. He looked very similar to how he did when he was Mr. Pigeon, only his coloring was more like that of a turtledove. The woman matched him and they were talking animatedly and throwing their bodies around in very birdlike gestures.

“Aw!” Ladybug cooed. “I think Mr. Ramier just met his soulmate!”

Red Robin was staring blankly after them. “What exactly did you put in my coffee this morning, brat?”

Ladybug snapped herself to attention and brought the others to order as well. “Lucky Charm!”

A knit hat with elf ears landed in Ladybug’s hands. “Okay...here’s what we’ll do…”

Another light flashed and a large Pear Tree appeared. Cat Noir rushed forward when a woman clutched at the trunk and tried not to fall out.

“Is that…” Ladybug wondered.

“Shirley Jones.” Nightwing supplied with mirth. “The actress that played the mother on  _ The Partridge Family _ . A Partridge in a Pear Tree.”

Robin scoffed and waited impatiently for Nightwing and Cat Noir to stop laughing after the woman was safely out of the tree. 

  
  


************

  
  


Not far away, two sisters were laughing and sliding around an icy field in the park, playing broomball--a game similar to hockey but without skates. They wore boots instead of skates and they used brooms to bat a rubber ball around the rink. The older one hip checked the younger one and knocked the ball away from her and towards the goal posts.

“No fair, Quin!” Elfitude laughed.

“It was fair the last five times you’ve done it!” Quin laughed back.

“Totally different!” 

The girls tussled a little and ended up slipping and falling to the ice. The slid until they landed in a snowbank and then started throwing snowballs at each other. Quin was about to try to dump snow into her sister’s shirt when a string of lights wrapped around Elfitude. They both yelped as Gotham’s Red Hood and Red Robin pulled the lasso of lights tighter around her and yanked Elfitude back. Nightwing swooped in and carried Quin away.

“Wait! No! Don’t hurt her!” Quin started to struggle, especially as Elfitude started panicking and thrashing about.

“Everything will be alright, mademoiselle.” Nightwing reassured.

“No! She’s my sister, you have to leave me with her!”

“She’s your sister?” Ladybug asked as she landed next to her. “Do you know what this is about then?”

Ladybug held out the hat and Quin sighed. “Yeah. Just let me talk to her, please?”

A scoff made her turn around to the youngest, surly Robin. “Now you want to help? Why didn’t you call the police instead of playing with your possessed sister?”

Quin glared right back at the kid and held out a cell phone that’d been turned into a toy. “No phones during family time.”

Nightwing nodded, seemingly onboard. “Cool.”

Quin ran back to her sister and put on the hat. Elfitude had a glowing purple mask around her face as Hawkmoth spoke to her. 

“Luci?” Quin asked softly as Red Robin, Red Hood, and Cat Noir tried to hold the girl in place. 

Elfitude swung anxious eyes to her sister.

“Hey, Luce.” Quin smiled. “It’s okay. You can give the butterfly to Ladybug and Cat Noir now.”

Elfitude’s eyes filled with tears even as the mask still lit up her face. “But…”

“It’s okay, Luci.” Quin reached out to hold her hand. “We had a lot of fun together today. And I promise, when your yourself we’ll do everything all over again. I’ll even wear the elf hat.”

Hawkmoth started to shock Elfitude but she ignored him.

“Really?” she asked in a small voice.

Quin nodded. 

“The jingle bells too?”

Quin winced. “Don’t push it.”

Elfitude smiled and relaxed, allowing her sister to reach forward and remove one of her jingle bell earrings. Quin gave it to Cat Noir who broke it and Ladybug quickly purified the butterfly.

Lucia was returned to herself and looked around in horror. “What happened?”

The Gotham heroes relaxed and Ladybug and Cat Noir smiled at her.

“You gave Paris one increadible holiday today, that’s what happened.” Cat Noir said with a bright smile.

“I did?” Lucia questioned.

Ladybug nodded. “It’s true. Look around at this wonderland you’ve created! I’m sure some people didn’t appreciate the interruption, but most people are thankful that today you gave them a rare gift of a day of fun and joy with their loved ones.”

Lucia didn’t seem to know how to respond, but her sister saved her from needing to.

“Lucia?” Quin said hesitantly. “I’m sorry. I was a jerk to you this morning. Do you want to go see a movie? Just you and me? The Dorsey Theater is playing a revival of  _ It’s A Wonderful Life _ .”

Lucia smiled broadly at her sister and jumped up in excitement. “I’d love to! Thanks, Quin.”

They hugged and Quin gave the hat back to Ladybug.

With a quick thank you to the Bird Brothers, Ladybug tossed the hat into the air. “Miraculous Ladybug!”

  
  


************

  
  


Adrien paced back and forth in front of the bakery. The Gorilla received a text before he was transformed into a Nutcracker with instructions to keep Adrien away from the house. Adrien wasn’t sure what the strange request was about, but he was grateful and he knew there was only one place he wanted to be.

A grunt from the Gorilla reminded him that his bodyguard was staying close by until Adrien actually went inside his friend’s home. Taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders, Adrien knocked on the door.

He wondered who would answer the door. It sounded like they had company over, maybe now wasn’t a good time to stop by? Although, if Gina answered the door maybe he could subtly bring up the merits of bubble wrapping Marinette. What if Tom answered? Adrien was pretty sure Tom liked him, but after Weredad the last thing he wanted to do was test Tom.

Marinette opened the door. He did not think of that possibility. He should have thought of that possibility.

“Adrien?” Marinette asked shakily.

“Hi, um, Marinette.” Adrien shuffled his feet awkwardly.

Marinette’s face went Rudolph red and she started stammering. “Li-listen, earlier a-a-bout--about earlier!”

Adrien grabbed her hands gently and waited for her to say what she wanted.

“We...can we forget it happened? Please?” she asked softly.

“Do you want to, Marinette?” Adrien asked but didn’t get a response. “Because I don’t.”

Marinette finally looked into his eyes, shocked.

“Marinette, you are an amazing, kind human being. You have always had me regarding you in wonder and you are one of my best friends.” Adrien said, somewhat nervous but plowing forward. “And if you’re willing I’d like to see if we can be more than friends.”

“You do?!” Marinette gaped.

“Very much.” Adrien confirmed. He pulled out fully bloomed rose from behind him where he’d hidden it. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I would be honored if you would give me the pleasure of taking you on a date.”

In the background they could hear Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” play. Marinette was very still and her complection looked like it fluctuate between pale and flushed. Adrien started worrying that she was going to pass out but then Marrinette lunged forward and kissed his cheek.

“Yes.” Marinette smiled. “It would be my honor.”

Adrien’s heart started fluttering wildly as he smiled at her. Marinette jolted as she remembered something and pulled out a small gift from her purse that she’d been too nervous to give him earlier.

“Um... this is for you.” Marinette said bashfully.

He opened it to find a turtle dove pin. Looking up, he noticed Marinette show him that she wore a matching one.

“I saw in  _ Home Alone 2: Lost in New York _ that two turtle doves means something like eternal friendship.” Marinette blushed but kept his eye contact. “I don’t know how much of that is true, but I wanted to give you this as a reminder that I’ll always be there for you, Adrien.”

Adrien’s smile wobbled and he drew her in for a hug.

“Thank you, Marinette.” he whispered.

They separated a moment later, both feeling a little emotionally drained but happy. Marinette gestured behind her.

“Would you like to come in?” she asked. “It’s just my family and a few of my parent’s close friends and their families. An impromptu party after today.”

“I’d love to.” Adrien leaned forward and kissed Marinette on the cheek. “Merry Christmas, Marinette.”

Adrien and Marinette held hands as they went into her home. The song on the radio switched to Bing Crosby’s “Be Careful It’s My Heart.”

“Oh, I should probably warn you.” Marinette said suddenly. “For some weird reason my parents won’t let anyone eat the gingerbread cookies.”

Adrien held in a chortle and tried to appear nonchalant. “Huh. How odd…”

  
  


************

  
  


A few days later, Cat Noir shimmied in place as he waited for Ladybug to show up. The moment she swung up onto the roof next to him, he burst out: “I think I have a girlfriend for real now!”

He was so excited, Ladybug was sure he wasn’t faking it this time.

“Really? That’s wonderful! Congratulations, Kitty!” Ladybug said.

“It’s great! And this time it’s a girl that has an emotional index that  _ isn’t  _ only slightly greater than my father that I have to decode!” Cat Noir said eagerly.

“Huh?”

“She’s absolutely amazing! She’s so incredible and sweet and smart and brave! Honestly, I can’t believe she’s interested in me! I thought she hated me for a good minute there, but it turned out she liked me the whole time! And my other friend’s just a dork who can’t wingman!”

“Okay…”

“And...I have to thank you.” he said more calmly.

“Thank me?” Ladybug questioned. “For what?”

Cat Noir sighed. “I’m not...used to these situations. Rejection is something I struggle with and I haven’t always handled it well when I’m with you. It’s like...the other me has to suppress a lot, you know?”

Ladybug nodded. “Because of Hawkmoth?”

Cat Noir winced. “Kinda? But...I have a lot of expectations as the other me and I don’t have very many opportunities to just...vent or be real. As Cat Noir I usually get to escape that for a while and I’m not in the habit of...disguising what I’m feeling while I’m wearing the mask. It’s like, one of my only outlets. In the other me I have to almost always close myself down, and then as Cat Noir I can open myself up and I go all out. It’s hard to switch that up and use filters once I’ve gotten used to it. I don’t know, I probably need some help with that...though I can’t see it coming from a professional anytime soon.”

Ladybug frowned. “What about your girl? Can she be there for you?”

“It’s actually one of the things I love about her. She’s always made me feel safe and comfortable in the best ways.” Cat Noir smiled. “But I don’t want our relationship to be built around her being my pseudo therapist. There are a few adults in my life, however, that might be able to fill that role for me. Her parents might be willing to mentor me and I have a...guardian? I guess?”

“Besides me?” Ladybug smirked.

Cat Noir rolled his eyes. “Haha! Yes. Anyway, he doesn’t talk much but I think he’d be a good mentor too.”

Ladybug nodded. “Good. So...does this mean the end of the Cat Noir shaming?”

“Alas, my Ladybug, it must!” Cat Noir posed theatrically. “But we can still banter! I’ve got puns galore!”

Ladybug groaned in mock frustration. “Heaven help your poor girlfriend!” 

Cat Noir wiggled in excitement. “Even her name is a pun! I don’t know how I missed it!”

Ladybug decided to ignore that. She had her own problems with her baker parents naming her ‘rises from bread.’

Cat Noir bound behind a chimney stack and pulled out a gift for her.

“Cat! You didn’t have to do that!” Ladybug exclaimed.

“I remembered that you gave up your gift from Santa when Chris was akumatized.” he said easily. “You’re always doing do much for everyone, Ladybug. I wanted to be Santa for you this year.”

Ladybug gave him a hug and pulled out a small package from inside her yoyo. When they opened their gifts Ladybug found a box of her favorite chocolates and Cat Noir found a handmade Ladybug themed friendship bracelet.

“I have the Cat Noir one.” She explained and revealed the bracelet on her wrist.

He put his bracelet on and the bumped fists.

“Oh, and guess what got sent to our official emails this morning!” she said excitedly

Ladybug pulled up the email on her yoyo and Cat Noir read it over her shoulder.

Dear Ladybug and Cat Noir,

On behalf of the Justice League we would like to offer you assistance in your mission to defeat Hawkmoth and return the Miraculous Jewels to Ladybug, the Guardian of the Miraculous. We are prepared to offer training, technology, investigative support, as well as other methods you may deem beneficial. Admission as official members of the Justice League will be considered after a probationary period.

Best regards and Seasons Greetings,

Batman

P.S. Robin sends his thanks for his three new pet hens.

  
  


************

  
  


Adrien and Marinette were enjoying a quiet New Years afternoon in the Dupain-Cheng home. They were playing a movie and snuggling on the couch while snacking on leftover Christmas cookies.

“Adrien, could you pass the snickerdoodles, please?” Marinette asked.

“I Paws-i-tively can!” Adrien grinned.

He handed Marinette the plate of cookies and they both froze when both their wrists were bared for each other and they caught sight of the friendship bracelets they wore.

They both looked utterly gobsmacked for a moment but then you could practically hear the words, ‘no one can know our identities, even us,’ whisper in their ears.

“So!” Adrien’s voice cracked and went up at least two octaves. “You see the new Astruc movie yet?”

“Nope! No I have not! I have not seen it, not at all! Let us watch that movie!” Marinette rambled with her entire face and neck burning.

Adrien started the new movie and they cuddled closer, completely freaking out but also somehow even more comfortable than they were a minute before.

Note: Does Marinette’s name really mean ‘rises from bread?’ I heard that somewhere.

John Denver and the Muppets "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

<https://youtu.be/YpuNU3y1KAk>

Mariah Carey "All I Want For Christmas Is You"

<https://youtu.be/yXQViqx6GMY>

Bing Crosby "Be Careful It's My Heart"

<https://youtu.be/ByQTKnlxl2o>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  
> Isaiah 9:6  
> New International Version

**Author's Note:**

> Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 
> 
> Shout for joy to the lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn--shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
> 
> Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the people with equity.
> 
> Psalm 98:1-9  
> New International Version


End file.
